Men in Sun Helmets is a non-fiction work by Vic Hurley that provides a semi-autobiographical account of American expatriate life in Mindanao during the interwar years of the American colonial period in the Philippines. Published in 1936 by E.P. Dutton & Co., the book captures the experiences of Westerners—characterized by Hurley as a "strange breed" of exiles—managing coconut plantations and navigating the social and physical landscapes of Zamboanga and the Sulu Archipelago. The item is highly relevant to the history of Silliman University and the broader region of Central Visayas and Mindanao, as it documents the era of American administrative and economic expansion in the southern Philippines. The specific copy pictured bears the ownership mark of "William B. MacDonald" and is held within the Silliman University Library in Dumaguete City. This provenance highlights the role of the university as a historical repository for colonial-era literature that shaped Western perceptions of Filipino culture and the "frontier" of Mindanao. Hurley’s writings, including this volume, are often studied today to understand the nuances of white settler colonialism and the complex interactions between American officials, the Philippine Constabulary, and the local population during the transition toward Filipino self-rule.
Men in sun helmets