February 14, 2008 Memorial

The February 14, 2008 Memorial Collection is unique among the University Archives Collections in that it documents an event, and the effect of that event on the Northern Illinois University Community.  This collection is divided into twelve series: The Victims; Events of February 14, 2008; Condolences; Remembering and Memorials; Recovery; Scholarship Funds; Remembrance Events; Cole Hall; Kishwaukee Hospital; Related Issues; Campus Security, Gun Control and Campus Shootings; and Kazmierczak. The first series is devoted to the memory of the victims of the shooting which occurred on the NIU campus on February 14, 2008.  Included here are articles and information about the five students who died that day: Gayle Dubowski, Catalina Garcia, Juliana Gehant, Ryanne Mace, and Daniel Parmenter, as well as duplicate diplomas that were awarded posthumously.  Also included here is information on the students who were wounded in the attack that day. Series II, the largest series in this collection, documents the events of February 14, 2008.  It is divided into four sub-series: Administrative Materials; Press Coverage; Video/TV Coverage; and Oral Histories, and First Person Accounts and Reports.  The administrative materials include the campus alerts that went out minutes after the event, communications from President John Peters, departmental impact statements, and the “2/14/08 Forward” binder of materials which touch on various aspects following the shooting including counseling, public affairs, and rescheduling of classes and other events.  Also found here is the NIU Report [2010] on the Shooting and the Response of NIU and other Public Safety and Emergency Responders.  The sub-series on press coverage includes coverage by the NIU student newspaper, The Northern Star, local, state, national, and international newspapers, as well as magazine articles and on-line stories.  CD’s and DVD’s of press conferences, and newscasts make up the bulk of the next sub-series, but also included is footage of the vigils and memorial services which occurred on the Northern Illinois University campus.  The final sub-series contains oral history recordings by Dr. E. Taylor Atkins History 497 and 597 classes, as well as “Story Corps” interviews, and other written and recorded descriptions by faculty, staff, students, and members of the DeKalb Police Department on what they experienced that day. Condolences of various kinds are included in Series III.  They are divided into five sub-series: real cards and letters; on-line condolence pages; condolence books; newsletter and magazine articles containing tributes and condolences; and e-mail messages.  In addition to sympathy cards and letters, there are handmade cards by students of various ages, coloring sheets, and resolutions.  The NIU Remembers web site contains condolences from the local community, educational institutions, public officials as well as the public at large, not only from the United States, but also from a number of foreign countries.  The condolence books come primarily from other universities, but include one from a hospital, junior high students, and the M.I.T. and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Joint Program.  There is also a memorial scrapbook assembled by an NIU staff member.  The e-mail messages, too, encompass a wide range of people, from ordinary citizens, to legislators.  Facebook, MySpace, and blogs are also found here.  It should be noted that the administration, faculty, staff and students from Virginia Tech sent numerous forms of condolences to corresponding members of the NIU community. The fourth series deals with Remembering and Memorials.  There are eight sub-series: Memorial Services; Memorial Sites; Articles, Stories and Poetry; the “Forward-TogetherForward” Logo, Posters, and Ribbons; Artwork; the Quilt Project; Music and Videos; and Photographs.  In addition to the NIU Memorial Services and Events, a number of local churches held services and vigils, as well as at Virginia Tech and a cathedral in Salzburg, Austria.  Information about the Memorial Room first located in Altgeld Hall and later moved to the Holmes Student Center is here, as well as about the Memorial Garden and sculpture near Cole Hall.  A number of people affected by the events of February 14, 2008 chose to express their feelings by writing poetry, articles, or even a book.  Within hours of the tragedy a logo that became identified with NIU and its desire to survive and move forward was created.  The use of this logo and other NIU trademarks is discussed.  Remembrance ribbons were made by individuals and groups on campus, and worn throughout the spring semester.  In addition to an article about the ribbons, a selection of ribbons is housed with the artifact portion of this collection.  Several works of art were created, a watercolor painting by Tatum Haag, and a large watercolor mural by Charlotte Rollman’s Art Classes.  The University College and Designers Association, also sponsored a “Campus Violence” Poster Project.  The next subseries deals with the NIU Library Memorial Quilt Project, and contains brochures, correspondence, participation forms, and photographs of the completed quilt sections, as well as photos depicting the creation and piecing together of the quilt.  Some members of the community expressed their feelings musically, which is the theme of the next sub-series. The words to NIU’s Alma Mater were revised, and new songs were written.  CD’s, DVD’s and a video are also found here.  The last sub-series contains thousands of photographs that were taken of the NIU campus, and the DeKalb and Sycamore area to document the tragedy, the support, and the hope of the community.  Of particular note is the “Huskies on Parade” selection of photographs which shows the various “Huskie” dog statues that were painted by individuals from on and off campus and sold to benefit the Forward, Together Forward Scholarship Fund. Series V contains materials dealing with Recovery.  Included here are messages from President Peters, articles on recovery assistance and events, tips for teaching, counseling support, the comfort/therapy dogs, free hugs, prayer shawls, and support from groups beyond campus. The sixth series contains information on the scholarships established to remember the victims of February 14th, later known as the “Forward, Together Forward Scholarships.”  Information on the recipients of these scholarships will be added yearly.  In addition, articles on various fund-raising events and activities, such as baseball games, concerts, and the “Huskies on Parade” to benefit the scholarships are found here. Information on annual remembrances of the tragedy are found in series seven.  A schedule of events for the first anniversary “NIU Remembers,” as well as brochures for various activities, and articles from many newspapers, including The Northern Star, are found here.  The second year “Day of Reflection,” was a more modest event. The fate of Cole Hall is documented in Series VIII.  Located here are newspaper articles, correspondence, survey results, petitions, e-mail comments, and the “Preserve NIU’s Cole Hall” Facebook site. Kishwaukee Hospital played a critical role following the campus shootings.  Documents relating to the hospital’s response, plus messages and thank you materials displayed in the hospital are found in series nine. A wide variety of materials are found in Series X which deals with Related Issues.  Included here are a “Healing Huskies” poster; information on “Huskies United;” stories and information about the Regional History Center’s task to document the tragedy of February 14, 2008; NIU’s relationship with Virginia Tech; the USFA report on the DeKalb Fire Department’s Response on February 14, 2008; awards received for coverage of the event by Public Affairs, Northern Television, WNIU/WNIJ, the response by President Peters, and campus social workers; articles on managing stress and helping children cope after school shootings; as well as internet articles from the Christian Science Monitor relating to good and evil. Campus Security, Gun Control and Campus Shootings are discussed in many articles found in series eleven.  Especially noteworthy is the book edited by NIU’s Brian Hemphill and Brandi Hephner LaBanc, Enough is Enough: a Student Affairs Perspective on Preparedness and Response to a Campus Shooting.  Articles about NIU’s Police Chief Don Grady are located here, in addition to the Campus Security Task Force Report to the Governor, and stories on emergency alert systems, the NIU graffiti threat of April 22, 2008, the February 19, 2010 shooting outside Stevenson Hall, and the murder of Antinette “Toni” Keller on October 14, 2010.  The Westboro Baptist Church planned to protest at the NIU memorials, and funerals of the students.  Correspondence and messages dealing with those protests and hate speech are also found in this series. The last, and smallest, series deals with Steven Kazmierczak, the man who committed the shootings and then took his own life on February 14, 2008.  There are print and on-line articles about Kazmierczak and his girl friend Jessica Baty. Esquire Magazine published a detailed investigative report about him in August 2008.  An article published in Criminology & Public Policy co-written by Dr. Jim Thomas, Kazmierczak, Leaf and Stone in 2006 is also included here.