The Project
The Devil-Goat Day Digital History Project seeks to preserve, interpret, and share one hundred years of a defining University of Mary Washington tradition.
Through an interactive timeline, digital archive, and collaboration with UMW Special Collections, this project documents how Devil-Goat Day has evolved across one-hundred years with ten entries per decade. This collection will comprise Devil-Goat Day promotional media, memorabilia, and photographs. Sources will be pulled from Special Collections digital and physical catalogue, Facebook groups such as alumni and the Fredericksburg history community, and the Library’s extensive newspaper archive.
UMW Outreach will be achieved via social media, flyers, and promotional QR codes scattered across campus and downtown Fredericksburg. Our goal is to make the history of Devil-Goat Day accessible, engaging, and meaningful for a wide audience, including the UMW community, extending to the broader Fredericksburg community. By combining historical materials, research, and multimedia storytelling, we aim to create a dynamic resource that celebrates the past while inviting ongoing participation in the tradition’s future.
What is Devil-Goat Day?
Devil-Goat Day is a longstanding tradition at the University of Mary Washington, in which students participate in field-day-style competitions on the last Thursday of classes each year. Students are divided into two teams, the Devils (odd graduating years) and the Goats (even graduating years), and compete in a series of spirited events. A wide range of activities, including tug-of-war, jousting, obstacle courses, mechanical bull riding, and pie-throwing, are included in current Devil-Goat Days. Students have access to plenty of free, exclusive merchandise, such as T-shirts, plushies, hats, cups, and more, depending on the student’s team.
Meet the Team!
Abigail Firestone
Website: history.acfolio.org
Abby is a member of the class of ’27, meaning that she’s a Devil!
She is a history and studio art double major, with focuses in 18th century dress history and photography respectively. She is a student consultant at the Digital Knowledge Center on campus!
Ben Berger
Website: digitalben.umwsites.net
Ben is class of ’26, making him a goat!
He is a historic preservation major. He loves museums and urban planning history. Ben is also passionate about film and music
Cora Hammer
Website: blog.corahammer.com
Cora is class of ’27, and therefore a devil.
She is a history major and a museum studies minor. She plays for the UMW women’s rugby team and is involved in PELP on campus.
Charlotte Niblett
Website: www.floraenfrances.com
Charlotte Niblett is an Archaeology & Ancient Near Eastern History Student at The University of Mary Washington.
Her history niche is the literary and liturgical traditions of the Epic of Gilgamesh in Early Bronze Age Mesopotamia.
She is class of ’26, making her a goat!
2-Min Introduction Video
Accessibility Statement
Conformance status
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It defines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. 100 Years of Devil-Goat Day is partially conformant with WCAG 2.2 level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard.
Feedback
We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of 100 Years of Devil-Goat Day. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers on 100 Years of Devil-Goat Day:
- E-mail: devilgoatday@gmail.com
- Instagram: @devilgoatday.archive
We try to respond to feedback within 2 business days.