Poxes & Passports: An Exhibition on Vaccination Histories

Abstract

History has the power to help us understand the present. Our research, guided by Dr. Aparna Nair, explores vaccination histories from around the world through vaccine ephemera - documents and objects not originally intended to last. These materials illustrate the historical development of public health systems and offer insights for the future. We curated an exhibition highlighting the non-Western origins of vaccination practices, the eradication of smallpox, and the ongoing rise of pro- and anti-vaccination sentiments. With an interest in preserving and highlighting the value of material culture, we cataloged over 300 vaccine-related items, including vaccination kits, photographs, dog tags, vaccination passports, and inoculation certificates, spanning from the early nineteenth century to today. Using historical research methods, we investigated the stories behind each piece of ephemera, revealing how vaccination efforts and viral pandemics have shaped global discourse, public health attitudes, and international travel. Our project also highlights that, in Africa and Asia, inoculation was a common practice before the West adopted it, bringing attention to the latent history of vaccination. Today, while many view vaccination as a lifesaving breakthrough, others express fear and mistrust, tensions that are amplified through social media. However, our exhibition demonstrates that vaccine passports, rather than limiting freedom, support the idea that good health empowers us to exercise our personal liberties, including those related to labour, mobility, education, and assembly. Through this research, we gained insights into how history influences public health policy, how society's understanding of vaccines shifts, and our collective responsibilities as individuals within a community.