A tenor soloist at St. John Baptist Church, Andrew Brown (1929-1977) became the church's minister of music in 1955. There, he organized a hundred-voice choir and personally established concert series as well as composing popular and renowned spiritual songs such as "My Prayer to Thee," "In Jesus' Name," "Come and Go with Me to My Father's House" and "Lord, Lord." A native of Buffalo, NY, Brown was also involved locally and elsewhere in organizing, establishing and conducting church choirs while promoting his love of gospel music. Installed as an instructor of music at Buffalo State College (then State University College at Buffalo), Brown became the director of the Pilot Musical Experiment Program in Gospel Music in 1967. Collection contains a large collection of mounted photographs, programs, and materials from the Alumni Association.

As Dr. Robert B. Cantrick (1917-2006), composer and music professor at Buffalo State College, 1969-1985, indicated in correspondence dated 2005, his intention throughout the last thirty years of his life was to "formulate fundamental concepts of music which are applicable to all cultural traditions and historical eras.” This mission seems to have been in the back of his mind since 1970 and the contents of his archive documents his attempts to bring this life-long project to fruition.

Fraser Drew had the opportunity to keep in contact with Langston Hughes during the peak of his career. Dr. Drew was a professor of English at SUNY Buffalo State for decades; he retired in 1983. He received his Ph.D. in English Literature from the University at Buffalo in 1952. His interest in African American literature motivated him to follow Langston Hughes’ career closely, and this led him to reach out to Hughes directly. Hughes responded by keeping open communication with Drew for a number of years.

Includes drafts, scripts, audiocassettes, and videos of television pilots, movies, and series written and/or produced by Fontana, including St. Elsewhere, Tattingers, Home Fires, Homicide: Life on the Street, Hoop Life, Oz, and episodes of Law & Order; many photographs of Fontana, his production associates, and cast members; taped television interviews and speeches of Fontana and cast members; set layouts and designs; research notes and story ideas; scripts submitted to Fontana by others; some publicity materials; cartoons regarding St. Elsewhere; and awards presented to Fontana, including the Emmy and Peabody, Humanitas Prize, and the Buffalo State College Alumni Award. There are also biographies of Fontana, short stories written by him, and videos of presidential bloopers, from Presidents Kennedy through Bush.

The David Lampe Collection of archival and book material represents the first holdings obtained under the E. H. Butler Library's "Special Collections of Special Professors" initiative. Dr. Lampe, a native Iowan, earned his PhD from the University of Nebraska, and taught at Buffalo State College for over 35 years. His areas of interest and research range from Medieval to modern poetry. Dr. Lampe's subject expertise is reflected in his donation to E. H. Butler Library. The collection is comprised of two parts, representing Dr. Lampe’s collection of monographs as well as correspondence/subject files.

Hank Nuwer, a 1968 graduate of Buffalo State College, is a social critic and author. Hank credits Buffalo State professors and students for contributing to his success as an author and journalist. The collection contains a collection of signed books, signed letters from authors with whom he corresponded, photographs, and drafts of some of his manuscripts. See an Archivist for an inventory of signed books.

Alexander Faickney Osborn was born in the Bronx, New York, on May 24, 1888. He attended Hamilton College where he was awarded Ph.B. and Ph.M. degrees in 1909 and 1921 respectively. Osborn’s career began with positions in newspaper reporting at the Buffalo Times and Buffalo Express; the assistant secretary for the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce; sales manager of the Hard Manufacturing Co.; and began his renowned advertising career with the E. P. Remington agency of Buffalo. He served as a council member for the University of Buffalo from 1951-1959, and founded the Creative Education Foundation in 1954 study what he coined “deliberate creativity.” Osborn was heavily involved with SUNY Buffalo State and helped found, what is now, The International Center for Studies in Creativity, the first program in the world to offer a Master of Science in Creative Studies. Alexander Osborn died of cancer in Roswell Park Memorial Institute on May 5, 1966, at the age of 77. The collection contains: magnetic tapes; papers; speeches; proposals; grant documents; photographs; reports; manuscripts; and research.

Mr. William Schmidt (Buffalo State, Art Education, 1950), the creator of art designs on plastic covers for commercial products contained in plastic, requested that his special art work be deposited in the Buffalo State College E. H. Butler Library's Special Collections. He helped to set up the Schmidt and Eckert Award, offering several scholarships annually to Art Education majors at State University of New York at Buffalo. The William Schmidt Collection in boxes one and two includes samples of plastic pieces that he did as freelance designer and information about many of the accounts that he worked on. They also contain many sketches and drawings of his designs. The collection also includes original artwork by Mr. Schmidt, including sketches and paper and ink drawings depicting his experiences during the Second World War. Articles, biographical information, and memorabilia can be found in boxes three and four.

The Society of Women Geographers Collection contains five issues of SWG-produced histories, programs and bulletins. The Vignettes includes biographical sketches of 26 early (pre-1940) members of the SWG; and the Bulletins contain historical information, contemporary activities and committees' reports as well as membership lists and information. All material dates from 1975-1980. Note: Mentions of Dr. Whittemore are highlighted in the inventory; and additional data, interviews and reminiscences of hers are available in the Archives' administrative and biographical files.

The collection spans from 1913-2006 and is subdivided into: Activities & Events; Buffalo & the Surrounding Community; Campus Buildings; Departments; and Organizations. The collection is exceptionally robust and contains approximately 8,000 print images spanning all areas of student life, from dorm construction in the 1940s to dance marathon costume parties held in the mid-80s.