Wheaton Archives & Special Collections

As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches this July, Wheaton Archives & Special Collections will be featuring several items from our collection throughout the next month that highlight the the ideas, debates, and movements that shaped America.

Our first featured item is a pamphlet from 1775, "A Letter to the Rev. John Wesley, Occasioned by his Calm Address to the American Colonies," written by "Americanus," a pen name for the British Baptist minister and reformer Caleb Evans. Responding to Wesley's dismissal of colonial concerns about taxation and his criticism of the American revolutionaries, Evans declared “In a free State, every man who is supposed a free agent, ought to be in some measure his own governor; and therefore a branch at least of the legislative power should reside in the whole body of the people.”

Colonial grievances and proposals for reform before the Revolution were fiercely debated on both sides of the Atlantic. Through pamphlets, broadsides, and other printed works like this one, theologians, philosophers, and political thinkers contested fundamental questions about representation, liberty, and government—debates that ultimately culminated in the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Since 1994, the Evangelism & Missions Archives at Wheaton College has held the official archives of World Evangelical Alliance (formerly World Evangelical Fellowship). From its founding in 1951, World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has sought to foster cooperation and communication between national Evangelical church and parachurch associations around the world. As part of their ministry, WEA holds international conferences of Evangelical leaders and sponsors cooperation in such areas as theological education, church renewal, missions, relief and development work, and leadership training, as well as publishing.

In April, Archives staff added over 174 linear feet (246 boxes) of new material to the collection, more than tripling its original size. These new materials were transferred to the Archives by WEA over the last three decades and document the history of Evangelical Protestant Christianity all around the world in dozens of nations over the 20th century and into the new millennium. It is a valuable and unique source for scholars, Christian workers, and the public. The new materials include records of the triannual WEA meetings, as well as the records documenting the WEA’s Theological Commission and Women’s Commission, making the WEA records a valuable resource for scholars of global Christianity. The finding aid to the WEA records can be viewed online at: https://archives.wheaton.edu/repositories/4/resources/249

Photograph: 1987 lunch meeting of the Japan Evangelical Association. David Howard, International Director of the WEF, is second from the right at the front table. The JEA is one of dozens of national Evangelical associations documented in the new additions to the World Evangelical Alliance Collection in the Archives.

Poet Luci Deck Shaw ’53 died on December 1, 2025, at 96 years old. She served on the Wheaton College Alumni Association Board of Directors and the steering committee for the Marion E. Wade Center, playing a key role in establishing the center as a place for artists and writers to discover the richness of the Wade’s seven authors. Join Wheaton in remembering and celebrating Shaw’s life and work: https://bit.ly/492vUFu

The Wheaton Archives & Special Collections and the Marion E. Wade Center are pleased to announce exciting additions to their archival holdings donated from the estate of Dr. Ralph Blair. Read more about the new donation on From the Vault:

New Treasures: A Collector’s Gift to the Archives The Wheaton Archives & Special Collections and the Marion E. Wade Center are pleased to announce new additions to their archival holdings donated from the estate of Ralph Blair. Dr. Blair colle…

Over the last 75 years, HoneyRock, Wheaton College’s Center for Leadership Development, has impacted the lives of thousands. Learn about the history of HoneyRock and the ways it has fostered transformation in the lives of many: https://bit.ly/49iUgLa

This May, Wheaton Archives & Special Collections explores camp meetings in 19th century American religious history through a selection of images and print ephemera from the rich holdings of SC233: Sacred Arts Collection. Read more on the new From the Vault at: https://fromthevault.wheaton.edu/2026/05/07/capturing-the-camp-meeting/

Congratulations to Kaitlyn Krug on her winning essay, "Words Exposing Purpose: The Power Gap Between Articulation and Achievement of Desire in Measure for Measure."

The Essay Contest judges were impressed with Kaitlyn's strong engagement with Shakespeare criticism, as she drew thoughtfully from a wide range of scholars while still maintaining her own voice and interpretation. Additionally, the judges praised Kaitlyn's close reading and analytical precision, particularly her careful attention to the relationship between rhetoric, power, and silence in Measure for Measure.

Wheaton Writing: A Journal of Academic Writing will be published in the coming months. The journal features award winners from The Batson Shakespeare Essay Contest, The Jameson Critical Essay Contest, and The Jameson First-year Awards. View past issues at: https://lib-ojs2.wheaton.edu/index.php/wheaton_writing

Happy Alumni Weekend from Wheaton Archives & Special Collections!

Over the past four years, the Archives has been hard at work digitizing thousands of photographs spanning more than 150 years of Wheaton College history. To celebrate Alumni Weekend, we’re sharing a few images of student life at Wheaton.

Explore even more photos through the Archives' digital collections at: https://wheaton.access.preservica.com/

Join Wheaton Archives & Special Collections today for Reading Day! Find quiet study spaces in the Special Collections Commons on the third floor of Billy Graham Hall, along with free coffee and other snacks for Wheaton students from 9:30-3:00 (while supplies last).