The collection consists of paper organizational records of the MPADG, 1976-2014, and undated. It collection is organized alphabetically and chronologically. Important records include Articles of Incorporation, Mission Statement, By-laws, and Tax-Exempt Status papers. There is a complete set of Meeting Minutes with agendas and related materials, 1993-2011, and a few 2012 meeting minutes, as well as meeting minutes from 1992 of the local ministerial association. Other information documenting the group includes correspondence, activities and events materials, conference materials, the group’s history, marketing plan, newspaper clippings (copies), treasurer’s reports, grant requests, and meeting minutes of MPADG Trustees, and reports, 2009-2010.
Of particular interest to researchers will be documentation of incidents in Mount Pleasant and Michigan, 1996-2005, specifically the incidents at Mount Pleasant High School and the communication and plans of actions to address them and collected materials on how Michigan police dealt with juveniles and youth, 1991-2000, undated. Related to this are two folders of materials, agendas, meetings minutes, and a Mount Pleasant High School student survey of the Mount Pleasant Parents of Color, 1993-1997. Also related is the Mount Pleasant School District Strategy 7 Committee Meeting Minutes, Related Materials [multi-cultural education] folder, 2000-2001.
There are also two reports of interest: Isabella County Human Rights Committee Report to the Isabella County Board of Commissioners, July 21, 2009, and Overview of a Project to Explore Racial/Ethnic Diversity at CMU … presented to MPADG, by Mary S. Senter, Sept. 20, 2007.
MPADG also collected Michigan non-discrimination ordinances and information on how to file complaints, 1976-2010 (Scattered).
In 2000 Central Michigan University President Mike Rao asked for the MPADG’s list of efforts for a study on diversity related activities in the Mount Pleasant community. His letter and CMU’s plan are included in the collection.
Lastly, there is a compilation of information entitled Dr. Merze Tate: A Brief Review of a Groundbreaking Career, by Daniel L. Shaw, 2004.
Organizational HIstory:
The Mount Pleasant Area Diversity Group (MPADG) was established to specifically address racially-motivated incidents that occurred in the Mount Pleasant, Michigan, area beginning in the winter of 1992. By 1993 community tensions had escalated. Founding members of MPADG, Alan Gamble, Ivy Goduka, Angela Haddad, and Steve Smith focused initially on combating racism, later including all forms of oppression. They developed a mission statement expressing the desire to use local assets to change local citizens’ attitudes about different races, cultures, abilities, religions and orientations. Using a community-based inclusive approach to foster and promote acceptance and appreciation of diversity. The city and school district of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan University, the Ministerial Association, and the Saginaw-Chippewa Tribe are long-time allies of MPADG.
In April of 1994 MPADG held a training retreat. In April of 1995 they developed a Diversity Resource Series of training modules. In November 1995 MPADG developed relationship-building meetings with Parents of Color Group and the Mount Pleasant Area Public Schools to create a network of support and affirmation for students of colors and other protected groups. This led to the schools developing Strategy X (10) a comprehensive action plan to educate and celebrate diversity in a K-12 environment to benefit students, faculty, and staff.
MPADG has participated in a number of diversity events, workshops, and co-sponsored events in their ongoing efforts to promote diversity in the Mount Pleasant area. They developed a Racial Harmony Conference which was held in 1998 and 2000. This evolved into a Peace, Justice and Unity: Healing Our Future Conference held in 2002. More recent efforts pushed for a local anti-discrimination law. (This information is from the collection.)
Biography:
Dr. Tate was born in Blanchard, Michigan, on February 6, 1905. She was the first African American woman to graduate from Western Michigan Teacher’s College, now Western Michigan University (WMU) in 1927. In 1930 Tate earned a M.A. from Columbia University. She was the first African American woman to earn a B. Literature from Oxford (1935). She studied in 1935 at the University of Berlin, earning a certificate in German. She taught at Barber-Scotia, 1935-1936. She was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Harvard University (1941). She served as Dean of Woman at Morgan State College, 1941-1942 and taught as a Professor of History at Howard University, 1942-1977. Through her scholarship, teaching, and community involvement she contributed greatly to promoting the voice of African Americans in American and international affairs. She received many awards and recognitions as a pioneering African American academic. In 1990 she gave WMU $1 million to establish her endowment fund to provide for students. Tate died on June 27, 1996 and is buried in Pine River Cemetery near Blanchard.
