Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Housed within the Program in American Culture and originally developed in response to student, faculty, and staff activism at the University, the Latina/o Studies Program at the University of Michigan was founded in the fall of 1984. The Latina/o Studies Program provides an interdisciplinary pan-Latina/o approach to the study of Latina/o history, politics, cultures, social relations, and artistic expression in the United States. The records in this collection date from 1984-2007, with the majority of the records from the period 1986-2000, and document the administrative, teaching, research, and public programs functions of the Latina/o Studies Program.

The Latina/o Studies Program records document the administrative, teaching, research, and public programs functions of the Latino Studies Program. The records in this collection measure 2.5 linear feet, and date from 1984 to 2007, with the majority of the records from the period 1986 to 2000. They are primarily comprised of correspondence, event flyers, meeting minutes, program planning materials, course descriptions and schedules, syllabi, event flyers and promotional materials, faculty search documents, information on visiting professors, and materials from Latina/o staff, faculty, and student organizations at the University of Michigan. The records are organized into five series: Administrative Files, Curriculum, Events and Programs, Faculty, and Latina/o Organizations.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Michigan is a volunteer group that is part of the U-M Turner Geriatrics Center. The Institute provides learning opportunities for people aged 50 and over through a variety of formats, including lecture series, study groups, mini-courses, and field trips. Established in 1987 as the Learning in Retirement program and renamed in 2006 after receiving a grant from the Bernard Osher Foundation. The records include founding documents, constitutions and bylaws, correspondence, notes, newsletters, flyers and pamphlets, board, committee, and retreat meeting materials, photographs, and other records documenting the Institute's administrative and programming activities.

The University of Michigan Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI-UM) records document the founding of the organization, programming initiatives and descriptions since its beginning, and annual activities through its publications. OLLI-UM records consist of founding documents, correspondence, newsletters, flyers and pamphlets, programming materials, agendas, minutes, and a few photographs.

University of Michigan office operating since 1971 that deals with human sexuality and gender identity support and advocacy for students, faculty, and staff. Records consist of administrative and topical files of the Spectrum Center and its predecessor offices and relate to the operation of the office; outreach programs; advocacy efforts; background on university housing issues; same sex benefits; as well as local, state, and national issues pertaining to LGBTQ rights. Documentation also includes posters; photos of rights marches, gay pride events, and celebration events; audio-visual material; and oral histories.

The records of the Spectrum Center document the activities of the center from 1976 to 2012, 2019-2021 (bulk 1987-2012). Materials in this record group consist of correspondence (including electronic mail printouts and memoranda), clippings, educational training manuals, minutes, reports, topical files, photographic materials, audio and visual materials, and oral histories.

For earlier records of the office, see the Lesbian-Gay Male-Bisexual Programs Office series within the James W. Toy papers, which is also held at the Bentley Library. Note that there is some overlap between the records in the James W. Toy papers and this record group.

A non-profit organization formed in 1992 by Julia T. Richie. The Foundation was created to empower children and young adults through the implementation, support, resources, and opportunities in employment, education, and enrichment. The record group includes administrative records, records pertaining to the organization's affiliates and partnerships with Detroit Metropolitan area charter and college preparatory schools, material relating to events and programs, as well as publications and photographs.

The records of The YES Foundation® document the organizational structure, affiliations, and programs of the Foundation between 1992 and 2017. The collection is comprised of administrative files, Board of Directors records, program evaluations, marketing material, year-end financial reports, grant applications, employee and volunteer meeting material, employee reference guides, materials related to various events and programs, tribute videos, student profiles, and educational course outlines and evaluations. Records include photographs and video recordings of ceremonies.

The Bentley Historical Library houses the Michigan Historical collections, which documents the history of Michigan; and the University Archives and Records Program, which maintains the historical record of the University of Michigan. Founded in 1935 as the Michigan Historical Collections, directors of the library include Lewis G. Vander Velde, F. Clever Bald, Robert M. Warner, Francis X. Blouin, Jr., and Terrence J. McDonald. The records include administrative files, correspondence, meeting materials, files on exhibits, archived websites, images, audio-visual media, and documentation of special projects such as the Vatican Archives project.

The records of the Bentley Historical Library were received in six main accessions 1991, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2014. Together the records comprise 79 linear feet, plus two oversize boxes, and oversize folder, three flat file drawers, and more than 16 GB of data spanning the years 1935-2014. The researcher should consult the summary box list on page vii for a quick overview of the materials in the collection.

A cross-disciplinary center for the study of Chinese history, culture and contemporary Chinese society at the University of Michigan, includes administrative records of the Center and information on research, lecture series, exhibits and other activities of the center.

The Center for Chinese Studies record group consists primarily of material for the years 1962 to 1994. Overall strengths of the collection include documentation of PASE, records of the Asia Library (1962-1982), and course information from curriculum development (1960s). Yearly budget and financial records are fairly complete, except for the period from 1971 to 1976. The gap is unfortunate because it was during these years that the Ford Foundation grants ended and the center had to search for new funding sources. Other material is broadly illustrative of the diversity of the tasks undertaken by the center.

The record group, as received by the Bentley Library, mostly consisted of loose documents and random topical folders. It now consists of topical folders arranged alphabetically within five series. The series Directors Correspondence and the Asia Library are in their original order, as received by the library; Administrative Records, Activities, and Printed Materials are artificial groupings created to provide order and easy access to the records.

The Bentley Historical Library received another large transfer of records from the Center for Chinese Studies in 1997. Spanning the years 1966 through 1994, these consist primarily of administrative files and information pertaining to the activities which the Center for Chinese Studies organized or in which it participated. The records were relatively well organized when it was attained by the Bentley Library. The original order of the records was retained with the exception of some files pertaining to the East Asian Capital Campaign. These were reorganized so that they could be located in one series.

The records of the University of Michigan College Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP U-M) document the chapter's activities from 1968 to 1989, and 2017 to 2019. First established on May 8, 1951, the student chapter focuses on educating its membership and the wider university community on local and national issues related to racial injustice. This collection contains physical and digital materials that document the chapter's role in minority recruitment and retention for U-M, strengthening relations between U-M faculty, staff, and the chapter leadership, involvement in NAACP conventions, and other internal and community activities. Materials include administrative records, reports, conference materials, correspondence, flyers, clippings, photographs and video recordings, among other materials.

This collection contains physical and digital materials that document the chapter's role in minority recruitment and retention for U-M, strengthening relations between U-M faculty, staff, and the chapter leadership, involvement in NAACP conventions, and other internal and community activities. Materials include administrative records, reports, conference materials, correspondence, flyers, clippings, photographs and video recordings, among other materials. The order within each file has been maintained.

Student organization at the University of Michigan established in 1968 for students of African descent. The materials in the collection include minutes, correspondence, agendas, officer reports and topical files on issues including the Michigan Mandate and the 2000 Michigamua protest. The collection also contains photographs, audio/visual recordings, Twitter posts, and event flyers.

The Black Student Union (University of Michigan) records document the various activities of the Black Student Union at U-M. Materials in this collection include agendas, budgets, correspondence, event flyers, minutes, officer reports, photographs, topical files, Twitter posts, and audio/visual recordings.

Affirmations Lesbian/Gay Community Center was established in 1989 to serve as a resource to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in the greater Detroit area. The records consist of meeting minutes, correspondence, and written records pertaining to Affirmations’ fundraising, programming, membership and advocacy activities. Select events are also documented by photographs.

This collection reflects the operational and planning activities for Affirmations Lesbian/Gay Community Center. It is divided into nine series: Background, Governance, Administration, Grants and Fundraising, Programming, Membership and Volunteers, Advocacy, Publicity, and Photographs. The majority of the collection has been arranged alphabetically by topic and chronologically within files.

Organization established in 1993 to research, collect, preserve and exhibit cultural and historical materials relating to the life and work of African Americans in Washtenaw County, Michigan. Record book, folder, and a scrapbook containing minutes, program files, correspondence, financial records, by-laws, publications, and clippings.

Record book containing minutes, program files, newsletters, correspondence, financial records, and constitution and by-laws; also scrapbook of clippings, programs, brochures, and other informational items.