1918: Pandemic was an exhibit that focused on the final year of World War I in 1918 and the influenza epidemic that ravaged the world. The exhibit opened in early summer 2018 and was organized by and featured in the Department of Special Collections.
American troops joined the Allied forces along the Western Front while Germany saw failure and major losses, which lead to the collapse of an empire. During this time an influenza pandemic broke out, killing millions of people. The movement of masses of people associated with the War created perfect conditions for spreading the flu virus.
The Special Collections Reading Room’s display cases were full to the brim with information, books, and photographs about this specific period in history. The exhibit ended in mid-September. However, their new exhibition The War at Home – Tulsa in the World War is on view until the end of 2018. If you are interested and want to learn more about this historic time, Special Collections is located on the 5th floor of McFarlin Library. They are open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm.
Museum Science and Management Student Molly McVey