Samford's 1976 Time Capsule
SGA president Gary Barkley lowers time capsule with Bicentennial chairperson Margaret Sizemore and President Leslie S. Wright
In the summer of 1976, the United States celebrated its Bicentennial, and Samford University marked the occasion by burying a time capsule near the University Library. Tucked beneath a marker to the side of the front entrance, the capsule held photographs, letters, Samford publications, and an various everyday items chosen to capture the spirit of campus life and the culture of the era.
Time capsules hold pieces of the past, yet they are also shaped by intention. They preserve ordinary items that hopefully one day will tell an extraordinary story. At Samford, this capsule marked not only a milestone in American history but also a moment in the life of the university shaped by the students and administration of 1976.
Image. Samford President Leslie Wright's Letter
Image. Hear and Now poster
Image. Hear and Now Letter
When Homecoming arrived on November 4, 2000, the capsule was dug up and opened. The capsule revealed a glimpse into student life. Inside were sorority invitations, sealed letters to future sisters, rush songs, nametags, a Hear and Now poster, and even a Styrofoam turtle. Among the treasures was a letter from then President Leslie Wright addressed to the students and faculty of the year 2000, a message bridging the decades between those who placed the capsule and those who opened it. Academic life appeared in course catalogs, handbooks, pharmacy brochures, and math club newsletters, complete with math jokes and a bumper sticker urging readers to “Think Metric.” ROTC materials, School of Law publications, athletic programs, and School of Music keepsakes added further depth.
Image. Basketball Letter and Schedule
Image. Basketball Program cover
Together, these artifacts revealed a campus full of energy and creativity, a community committed to capturing their moment in time for the benefit of those who would come later.
Looking back on that day invites a question. If we were to seal a time capsule now, what would we choose? Which stories, images, or mementos would help future Samford students understand who we were and what mattered most to us?
Image. Think Metric bumper sticker
You can see the contents of the 1976 time capsule by visiting the Library's Special Collection Department.
Photo. 1976 Time Capsule collection items
Photo. 1976 Time Capsule box
Resources
- Entre Nous 2001
- Samford, 1976 Time Capsule, SC 5186
- Arnold, Lew. Burying of the Time Capsule in 1976. The Crimson, 19 Nov. 1976. Samford University Archives, Samford University Digital Collections. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025. https://digitalcollections.samford.edu/Documents/Detail/burying-of-the-time-capsule-in-1976/23564
