Current Exhibits

Who is William J. Bryant?

William J. Bryant, an avid collector of Caribbean and West Indies artifacts, is the son of the namesake of the UCF Libraries Special Collections & University Archives flagship collection, the William L. Bryant Caribbean and West Indies Collection. After graduating from Dartmouth, Bryant went into business with the Bryant Chucking Grinder Company. Located in his home state of Vermont, Bryant served as president of his company from 1945 to 1958. Bryant then went on to Florida where he founded the philanthropic organization, the William L. Bryant Foundation in his father’s honor. The Bryant Foundation’s goal is to educate the community on archeology and cultural heritage in Spain, the Caribbean and the West Indies. William J. Bryant donated his collection of materials to the UCF Libraries in 1972. Today the collection has over 1600 items including paintings, sculpture, metal work, fabrics, sound recordings, maps, books and manuscripts. The William L. Bryant collection is an important source for historians, archeologists, anthropologists, and artists to study and in turn educate others on this important region.