Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

The George Pepperdine Collection features rare and unique materials—including photographs, writings, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, collectables, and home movies—from the personal and professional life of this notable Los Angeles philanthropist and founder of Pepperdine University. George Pepperdine (1886-1962), who made his fortune as the entrepreneur behind Western Auto Supply Agency, was inspired by his deep Christian faith to reinvest his wealth in charitable activities, including the university, which he founded as George Pepperdine College in 1937. Drawing from select items in the Pepperdine University Special Collections and University Archives collection George Pepperdine Family Papers, this digital collection chronicles this history through …

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

Hanson A. Williams, Jr. was already an accomplished photographer when he attended George Pepperdine College from 1946 to 1950 on a photography scholarship. Williams worked as a student photographer throughout his time at Pepperdine, taking many of the photographs for the Pepperdine Yearbook, and serving as its editor-in-chief during his senior year. Most of the photographs in this collection were taken during Williams’s student years. Upon graduation, he was drafted into service for the Korean War, and his photographs of his service can be viewed in the the Korean War Photography of Hanson A. Williams, Jr. digital collection. This collection …

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

On the Beam was a monthly newsletter designed to maintain communications with George Pepperdine College (GPC) students and alumni serving in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Second World War. Carrying the motto “Dedicated to Young Pepperdiners in the Service,” the newsletter ran from June 1943 to at least January 1946. GPC basketball coach Al O. Duer, who edited the newsletter, often closed his monthly message with: “Keep those chins up and stay ‘on the beam’.” The publication included news updates about student and alumni wartime activities and deployments, including photographs and contact information. Although it began life as a …

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

The Graphic has been Pepperdine's primary student newspaper since the school's founding in 1937, making it the university’s oldest student organization. The name was chosen by students because of the prominence of the letters “GPC,” the initials of George Pepperdine College. In 1972, the paper moved from Pepperdine’s original campus in South Los Angeles to the brand new Malibu campus, where weekly publication continues to this day. In addition to campus news, the Graphic covers the City of Malibu, and offers student perspectives on national and cultural issues. The paper has won numerous awards over the years, and is a …

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

The Historic Pepperdine Films collection features moving image materials produced by and about Pepperdine University throughout the history of the institution. Drawing from the University Archives audiovisual collection and the holdings of Integrated Marketing Communications, films in this collection range from home movies to professionally produced promotional films. The collection also includes films of campus activities, sporting events, television shows, and community service programs.

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

The Historic Sound Recordings collection features streamable recordings of memorable speeches and significant events that chart the history of Pepperdine University and, more broadly, Southern California. Dating back nearly half a century, these archival recordings range from political speeches and debates on morality, to musical performances and lectures on history. Prominent speakers include past Pepperdine presidents, including M. Norvel Young, William S. Banowsky, and Howard White, as well as national figures, such as Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman, and singer Pat Boone.

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

After the 1972 opening of the Malibu campus, Pepperdine University continued to offer undergraduate programs at the original Los Angeles campus through the 1975-1976 academic year. In fact, the LA campus served the majority of students during this period. The Graphic - Pepperdine’s primary student newspaper - relocated to Malibu, and Inner View was founded to serve as the student newspaper for the LA campus. In addition to offering a unique perspective on this transitional period in Pepperdine’s history, Inner View provided award-winning coverage of local news and national politics, and is notable as an example of 1970s graphic design …

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

This collection consists of historical photographs and documents collected by Dr. Jerry Rushford on the topic of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement, the Churches of Christ, and Pepperdine University. The digital collection represents only a fraction of the materials in this collection, which is housed in the Rushford Center for Research on Churches of Christ and the Restoration Movement at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. Over his long career at Pepperdine University, Jerry Rushford has served as minister for the University Church of Christ, as Director for the Church Relations office, as professor of Religion at Seaver College, and now as …

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

The Historic Surfboard Collection includes over thirty surfboards from the personal collection of John Mazza, surfing aficionado and local Malibu resident. The boards, on permanent loan to Pepperdine University, represent the evolution of surfing and surfboard technology in the twentieth century with examples ranging from the 1910s to the 1980s. With each board photographed from multiple perspectives, this digital collection reveals the art and ingenuity of surfboard shapers and contextualizes the boards as cultural objects with an important place in popular culture and local history. The surfboards are a part of Pepperdine University Special Collections and University Archives' Malibu Historical …

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives

The coins in this digital exhibit come from the private collection of Dr. John Wilson, professor emeritus of religion and dean emeritus at Pepperdine University’s Seaver College. Dr. Wilson has amassed over 1200 coins from the Holy Land, coins that date from the Persian period (c. 5th century BCE) to the time of the Crusaders (c. 14th century CE). The coins, purchased on the open market, align with Dr. Wilson’s decades of archaeological research in Israel, most notably his oversight of the Caesarea Philippi (Banias) excavation. Dr. Wilson has graciously made his coins available for research by Seaver College students. …

Institution: Pepperdine University, Special Collections and University Archives