Library of Congress subject headings could be an interesting source of data for this project, and can give you hints on what terms you might search in other resources. This information is easily findable via search engine, or ask me for help tracking it down. For more information about how subject headings reinforce certain ideas about categories, check out the documentary "Change the Subject".
If you want to use materials from Colby's Special Collections and Archives for your research, email speccoll@colby.edu to request an appointment. Some items, like the Colby Echo archives, have been digitized. Explore here.