Fliers, printed matter, clippings, programs, correspondence, artifacts, and A/V content documenting the student experiences of Kevin M. O'Connor and his friends between 1988 and 1992. Content includes materials related to life in his suite dubbed the Existential Despair Suite (EDS), events at the Postcrypt Art Gallery and Coffeehouse housed in the basement of St. Paul's Chapel, and the Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program (COOP). There are also photographs of him and his friends from Spring 1991 and Commencement 1992. Three items of audio-visual content: featuring a news report about the Postcrypt Gallery from 1991, an original song performed at the Furnald Folk Fest in 1991, and a performance/reading by Allen Ginsberg at St. Paul's Chapel in 1990. PDFs of many of the doucments, a digital copy of the descriptive essay and a spreadsheet detailing many of the items was created by the donor. Please contact the University Archives staff for access to this digital content. Overall, this content provides an interesting view of how students communicated and expressed themselves in a time before social media outlets.
Box 1 Folder 1
O'Connor Columbia Timeline, 2018 November
Box 1 Folder 2
"Columbia Recovered: The Despair Archives", 2022 June 7
Short essays providing context for the collection material
Box 1 Folder 3
Existential Despair Suite (EDS) - Part I, 1988-1991
Box 1 Folder 4
Existential Despair Suite (EDS) - Part II, 1989-1991
Box 1 Folder 5
Miscellaneous Student Groups, 1988-1991
Box 1 Folder 6
Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program (COOP), 1989-1991
Box 1 Folder 7
Orientation Week Play: "Something Borrowed, Something Bloody", 1991
Box 1 Folder 8
University Publications, 1988-2018
Box 1 Folder 9
Columbia Newspaper Clippings, 1988
Box 1 Folder 10
University Correspondence, 1988-1991
Box 1 Folder 11
Urban College Manifesto, 1991 Fall
Written for inclusion in the 1992 Columbia College yearbook
Box 1 Folder 12
Earl Hall and Postcrypt, 1988-1991
Box 1 Folder 13
DespairFests I-III, 1989-1991
Box 1 Folder 14
Commencement Program, 1992 May 13
Box 1 Folder 15
Photographs, 1991-1992
Includes CU photo ID card, photos from Spring 1991 and Commencement 1992
Box 1 Folder 16
Audio Cassette: Allen Gisnberg Speaks at St. Paul's Chapel, 1990 March 15
Sound on the tape is "echoey"
Box 1 Folder 17
Audio Cassette: "If You Can't Run With the Big Dogs" by Andrew Vladeck (CC 1992), 1991
Original song performed at the Furnald Folk Fest held in Furnald Lobby in April 1991.
Box 1 Folder 18
VHS Tape: Local News Report by Nola Roeper about Postcrypt Art Gallery, 1991
Video features Kevin O'Connor (CC 1992) and Jennifer Laden (BC 1992)
Box 1 Folder 19
Class of 1992 Convocation Beanie, 1988 August
Beanies presented to students at convocation which was then followed by dinner with their advisors.
Box 1 Folder 20
Brio's menu, undated
Stolen menu from restaurant located in Phoenicia, NY. This is where all of the Columbia Outdoor Orientation Program (COÖP) groups would eat at after the 3 day hike in the Catskills.
Digital Content
PDFs of most of the physical documents, an excel spreadsheet with details about individual items, and a MS Word copy of the explanatory essay. Please contact University Archives staff for access to this digital content.