Introduction

Sounds of Solace: Audio and audiovisual selections from the April 16, 2007 Condolence Archives

Following the events of April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech received over 90,000 letters, cards, posters, banners, photographs, artifacts, textiles, books, certificates, and more from people and organizations all around the world, many of which were left at memorials on the Blacksburg campus.

Special Collections and University Archives collected representative items as part of the Virginia Tech April 16, 2007 Archives of the University Libraries, a collection of over 500 cubic feet of material. Items from every continent, 80 countries, and all 50 U.S. states are represented in the collection. Digital representations of over 7,000 items were also captured by archivists and are online in the April 16, 2007, Condolence Archives digital collection.

Created for the 16th annual remembrance commemoration in 2023, this exhibit - Sounds of Solace: Audio and audiovisual selections from the April 16, 2007 Condolence Archives - highlights the items Virginia Tech received following the events of April 16th. It features songs, speeches, and recorded events memorializing the shooting and offering words of hope, solidarity, and grief from around the world. The voices featured range from middle school students to music groups to former president George W. Bush.

We continue to remember the 32 victims:

Addressing difficult topics can be stressful and cause anxiety, difficulty concentrating, sleep loss, and even concerns about safety. If you or a loved one needs help, visit the Mental Health Resources page for available resources.

Credits

Curated by Tyler Williams, Miranda Christy, and Anthony Wright de Hernandez