09/21/2026
Thank you, Derek Kubacki, for your generous donation to the University’s Archives and Special Collections.
A 500-year-old piece of history has found a new home at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
Derek Kubacki, who earned his B.A. in history from A&M-San Antonio in 2018, recently donated a rare parchment leaf from a late 15th-century French Book of Hours to the University’s Archives and Special Collections.
Written in Latin and created in Paris, the illuminated manuscript leaf offers students and faculty an opportunity to examine a historical artifact that connects art, religion, history, literature and language.
“This manuscript leaf is more than a beautiful and rare object—it is a direct connection to the people, beliefs and artistic traditions of late 15th-century France,” said William Kiser, professor and chair of the Department of History, Philosophy, and Geography. “Having an artifact of this significance on our campus gives students the opportunity to engage with history in a tangible way and to consider how primary sources can deepen our understanding of the past.”
