The George May papers consists primarily of research files from his study of the history of the automobile. There is also a small series of student notebooks compiled while he was a student of history at the University of Michigan. The series in the collection are Automobile History Research and University of Michigan Student Notebooks.
George S. May graduated from the University of Michigan, receiving all of his degrees in history. Between 1956 and 1966 he was employed by the Michigan Historical Commission, heading up the state's historical marker program, and serving for one year as editor of Michigan History Magazine. Subsequently, May became a professor of history at Eastern Michigan University. Throughout his career, May has written extensively on topics relating to Michigan history. Included are a biographical study of R. E. Olds and a history of the automobile industry in Michigan entitled, A Most Unique Machine.
In 1987 May was commissioned by the Henry Ford Museum to write a book on the affect of the automobile on life in America. The proposed volume would cover the history of the automobile from the creation of the first horseless carriage up to the present. It was to be titled "The Automobile in American Life" and was intended to be part of a Henry Ford exhibition of the same name in 1990-1991.
As part of his research, May interviewed people with different perspectives on the automobile industry, including factory workers, car salesmen, industry executives, patent lawyers, and those who experienced the change from a horse and carriage lifestyle to an automotive one. These interviews included discussion on the ways the automobile helped shape a new culture and literally changed the landscape in America. The proposed "The Automobile in American Life" volume was never published.
