The American Historical Collection

Background

The American Historical Collection was the brainchild of Ambassador Myron Cowen, who served as the third U.S. Ambassador to the independent Philippines (1949-1951). He was shocked and moved by the terrible destruction of Philippine libraries, not only from the events of WWII but also due to insect infestation and climatic conditions.  In October 1949 he convened a group of American resident “old-timers”- businessmen, educators and professionals - to seek their help in creating a reference library and historic museum, which in short time became the American Historical Collection and Library.   click here to view picture collections

It was originally situated in the Embassy, but as Ambassador Cowen stated,  “Ambassadors come and go”; there was need for consistency in overseeing the library and museum.  Therefore it was decided to dissolve the maintenance and finances onto the American Association of the Philippines (AAP), an organization being formed at that time to see to “the general welfare of U.S. citizens”.   click here to view picture collections

The AAP agreed to take on the responsibility and established the American Historical Committee (AHC) to oversee the new library; the Committee to be formed of equal numbers of members appointed by the Ambassador and by the AAP.  Funds for the library were also to be administered separately from those of the AAP.

The Collection and Library was housed in the U.S. Embassy for many years and later in U.S. government-leased premises (the Thomas Jefferson Cultural Center in Makati).  In 1990 a crisis concerning financial support was overcome with help from the U.S. Library of Congress (LOC).   click here to view picture collections

Needing space for their own collection, the LOC provided financial support for the housing and operation of the Collection and Library as it had deemed it “unique and priceless”, due to its rich stock of personal memorabilia, including first-person accounts and photos of the American era in the Philippines; irreplaceable in many cases.

This assistance continued through 1995, when the U.S. government support for the Collection and Library was terminated, due to serious Federal government cutbacks.    click here to view picture collections

With the withdrawal of this support, the American Historical Collection Foundation (AHCF) was created to assist the Collection and Library; for the purpose of raising funds for its continuation.   click here to view picture collections

Various avenues were explored for the purpose of maintaining the Collection and Library.  Through an agreement forged between the AAP and the Ateneo de Manila University, the Collection and Library was transferred to premises within the Rizal Library at the university. It is now administered by the University’s Filipinaña division and its materials are currently accessible through its on-line catalogs and other resource material.   click here to view picture collections

The association with the Ateneo fulfills a major long-term objective of the founders – and that of Ambassador Cowen, to assure the Collection and Library of a permanent home.   click here to view picture collections

The Objective of the Collection and Library:

The primary objective of the Collection and Library is to maintain its “unique and priceless”, and exceedingly rich, collection of reference materials pertaining primarily to (but not exclusively to) the American era in the history of the Philippines – 1898-1946.   click here to view picture collections

A further objective is to cultivate understanding and mutual appreciation for our shared history by providing the means for the material to be available to a broad audience of researchers, scholars and students – not only locally but internationally – both on site and through the internet.   click here to view picture collections

The Collection and Library currently comprises approximately 12,000 volumes, as well as personal papers, reports, manuscripts, documents and periodicals. In addition there are an estimated 16,000 photographs, paintings, drawings, maps and postcards.  Many of these materials are on microfilm and fiches, films, and audio tapes. It is recognized as the most comprehensive compilation of such material anywhere in the Philippines, drawing researchers from abroad as well.     click here to view picture collections

The Collection is continually being updated with material on the years since Philippine independence (1946) – especially as seen from the U.S. perspective - as new books and other material is published and evaluated.

Principal Holdings of the American Collection and Library

The major holdings of the Collection and Library include material relating to:

   The Spanish-American War and the American occupation and war (1898-1902),

    including the reports of the First (Schurman) and Second (Taft) Commissions.

   The Annual Reports of the Philippine Commission and the Insular Government

    Departments -1900-1933.

  Biographical information on Americans in military and civilian life.

   Journalists’ reports and books on the Philippines – 1898-1934

  Reports and records of the Philippine Assembly and Senate – 1907-1934  

  Reports of U.S. official commissions (eg. the Monroe Report on Education – 1924)

Some periodical material includes:

  American Chamber of Commerce Journal – 1921- 1993

  Philippine Review – 1916-1953

  Philippine Magazine -  1925- 1941

  Far Eastern Economic Review – 1904-1910

  other relevant titles covering the Philippine-American period

Important manuscripts include the Santo Tomas and Los Banos Internment Camp papers, with complete bound records of American and allied citizens interned between 1941-1945, as well as special collections of rare and personal photographs, audio and audio-visual materials covering this period.   click here to view picture collections

The Picture Collection

The Collection is rich in photos of the Spanish-American War and other historic events as well as photos of national hero Rizal and his family, American Governors-General, High-Commissioners, Ambassadors and other prominent military and civilian personalities – both Filipino and American.   click here to view picture collections

“The Bulletin” – a publication of the Collection and Library

The American Historical Committee publishes “The Bulletin of the American Historical Collection”, a quarterly publication that solicits and publishes articles on the period of  Philippine-American history.  The articles are either personal or scholarly and on subjects that have some relevance to Philippine- U.S. relations.  “The Bulletin” is recognized by many as an excellent source for reference material and is well-received by subscribers- individual as well as companies and  prestigious libraries and schools - both locally and abroad.   click here to view picture collections

The Bulletin began publication in 1972, with A.H.V. Hardendorp, and eminent journalist of both the pre- and post-war eras, as editor.  Mr. Lewis Gleek, former U.S. consular officer in Manila, took over in 1979 and the current volunteer editor is Ms. Sara Collins Medina    click here to view picture collections  

Online Library can be found at : http://rizal.lib.admu.edu.ph