March 8 is the 100th anniversary of the beginning of “February Revolution” in Russia (the Russian Empire still used the Julian calendar at the time, so to them it was February 23, but to most of the rest of the world, it was March 8 (Gregorian calendar)). On this day workers engaged in demonstrations protesting the government of Tsar Nicholas II  and clashed with police and the military. On March 12 soldiers in the Russian army joined the workers resulting in the abdication of the Tsar on March 15.

In 2001 Henry Fuller ’38 donated his collection documenting the Romanov family including photographs of Tsar Nicholas and the Tsarina Alexandra, and their family during the last years of Nicholas’ rule, and extensive correspondence between Fuller and Alexandra’s close friend Anna Virubova.

Theresa Battaglio, a graduate student in American Studies, recently mounted an online exhibit using the collection. The Watkinson Library encourages people to come in and view this unique resource as we commemorate this important date in history.

[The Tsarina taking a picture of the family aboard their yacht.]