Jack Eyerly was a resident of Portland for almost all of his life, and was continuously involved in the art of the Northwest from an early age. Starting in the 1950s and continuing until his death, Eyerly was the foremost artists advocate, facilitator, and friend of the arts in the Northwest. He maintained consistent correspondence with hundreds of artists from the Northwest but also with others from across the country. Though he was an artist himself, Eyerly was a prolific connector of artists, often offering extensive lists of artists, galleries, museums, and non-profit programs to his various correspondents. Among his many achievements, Eyerly was a board member of the Northwest Film Study Center during its early years at the Portland Art Museum. He was a consultant for the Portland Art Museum, a long time supporter of Wacky Willy’s, and collaborated with many individuals and groups in both an artistic and consultation role.

Eyerly’s support of the arts went far beyond being a facilitator of more traditional styles of creating art. Beginning in the early 1970s he was a member of many different video art groups, giving his time to support the development of films and photographs as a respected modern art mode. However, this is not to say that he neglected painters, printers, sculptors, poets, and musicians. His work to connect the artists of the Northwest led to many interactions between different mediums, bringing together the more traditional modes with experimental modes, such as puppet theatre or dancing for the disabled.

This collection encompasses seven decades of notes, correspondence, artists papers, gallery showcards, posters, artworks, and other assorted pieces of historical material exchanged between Eyerly and artists from across the Northwest and beyond. With more than 200 artists represented in the collection, there is a clear sense that Eyerly crafted this archive over his lifetime with the goal of establishing a definitive catalogue of Northwest artists.

The Jack Eyerly papers were processed by McKelvey Mandigo-Stoba ’17. Processing of this collection was funded in part by generous donations from Jack Eyerly’s friends and supporters. A special thank you to Sybil Westenhouse for investing in experiential learning through the Sybil Westenhouse Archives Excellence Fund.

Part of the Jack Eyerly papers remains to be processed and more will be added to the finding aid as processing is completed. For more information on the collection please see the finding aid.

With the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Great Britain was desperate to convince Americans to join the fight against Nazi Germany. However, many Americans were fiercely resistant to entering the war, forcing Britain to concentrate its resources into propaganda efforts, such as the British Information Services, located in Rockefeller Center, New York City. The purpose of the British Information Services was to strengthen relations with the US, working to aggressively influence Americans through active promotion and distribution of British views and documents on the war.

The Cummins World War II Allied Forces Propaganda collection includes many British Information Services pamphlets, flyers, and magazines from 1940 to 1944, as well as a few publications from other publishing agencies. The purpose of most of the propaganda material is to prove Britain’s competency and strength. Some propaganda magazines highlight the accomplishments and capabilities of the Royal Air Force, Army and Navy, while others marvel at Britain’s increased war production. Some of the propaganda depicts the ordinary accomplishments of the British people as a way to promulgate the stability and vitality of the country, but most promote camaraderie against a common enemy. A few pamphlets emphasize the differences between Britain and Germany (and even Japan) to associate Britain with the ideals of democracy and freedom, fighting against the menace of Nazism and fascism. Some touch on the unified strength of the British Commonwealth (or Common Pool) as a way to prove that even colonized, or previously colonized, nations have allied with Britain and have provided resources and men to fight in the war effort. All of these messages were an attempt to convince Americans that the United States had a clear stake in Britain’s war effort and that total support was essential to defeat Germany.

The Cummins World War II Allied Forces Propaganda collection was processed by Ivy Major-McDowall ’18. A special thank you to Sybil Westenhouse for investing in experiential learning through the Sybil Westenhouse Archives Excellence Fund.

To learn more about the Cummins World War II Allied Forces Propaganda collection, please see the finding aid.