Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Student papers, 1930-1987 prepared for classes in history at the University of Michigan (primarily Michigan history class taught by Lewis G. VanderVelde, but also including research papers for classes taught by Sidney Fine and others); topics concern Michigan social and political history; Michigan biography and bibliography; and local community history.

The student papers are organized alphabetically by author in two series, which are similar in date range and topics covered. Topics of papers concern Michigan social and political history; Michigan biography and bibliography; local community history and University of Michigan history. A topical index to the papers is available in the first box of the collection.

African Methodist Episcopal pastor with churches in Albion and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Collection includes sermons, biographical materials, materials related to history of the church, scattered minutes of meetings, newspaper clippings, and photographs.

The John A. Woods papers measure 1.75 linear feet. The majority of the collection consists of sermons (1.5 linear feet). Because most of the sermons are undated, their original order has been retained. Other significant files concern Bethel AME Church. An audio cassette captures the groundbreaking ceremonies for the new church in 1971, and a program documents the Burn the Mortgage Celebration service in 1989. Also found in the collection are miscellaneous church meetings minutes, dated 1982 and 1987.

The Biographical Materials folder includes biographical information about Reverend Woods, as well as letters of recommendation and/or appreciation, and tributes. Of importance are old school records, pastoral certificates and the program from Reverend Wood's funeral service on November 14, 1989. The Newspaper Clippings folder also contains a wealth of biographical information about Reverend Woods. Photographs date from circa 1930 and include images of Reverend Woods from a young man onwards, and pictures of groundbreaking and the completed Bethel AME Church. The Services folder contains programs of various services that took place in different AME churches. Miscellaneous material includes printed religious texts and a heavily annotated 1979-80 DBC Student Directory.

County relief administrator and author. Manuscript of her book, We Too Are The People, which relates her experiences in relief work; also correspondence, reviews of her books, comments on the election of 1940, and reports on the work of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration in Manistee County, Michigan.

The Armstrong collection includes the manuscript to her book We Too Are the People, correspondence mainly relating to the book, and other miscellaneous papers, notably reports on the work of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration in Manistee County, Michigan.

Champion prize fighter of Detroit, Michigan. Scrapbooks, 1935-1941 (arranged chronologically by bout), and clippings, articles, and fan letters, 1948-1951, relating to his career as a boxer.

The scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings and magazine articles in the period of 1935-1941. The volumes include full-length articles, brief sketches, cartoons and newspaper photographs detailing each fight, the preliminaries, Louis' opponent, the bout itself, and post-fight assessments. The volumes are numbered 1-94; volume 48 was not received.

Reports and administrative records of WPA project to survey historical records in Michigan; includes correspondence, drafts of guides to county archives, proceedings of county boards of supervisors, field reports of workers, and copies of land patents for some counties; also material relating to the history of Blacks in Michigan.

The Historical Records Survey record group documents the activities and the product of the legions of depression era workers who inventoried the records held in county courthouses, municipal offices some private repositories. The records include correspondence, drafts of guides to county archives, proceedings of county boards of supervisors, field reports of workers, and copies of land patents for some counties; also material relating to the history of Blacks in Michigan.

Originally the H.R.S. records transferred to the Michigan Historical Collections measured about 121 linear feet. After processing, the collection consisted of 26 feet of records relating to the H.R.S. and 65 feet of transcripts of county and municipal records. Of the remaining 30 feet, 29.5 feet of duplicate, extraneous, or insignificant materials were discarded (described in more detail further on) and approximately half of a linear foot of printed material was transferred to the library's printed collection.

The H.R.S. material has been divided into the following series:

1. Survey of County Records
2. Survey of Municipal Records
3. Survey of Federal Records
4. Survey of State Records
5. WPA Project Files
6. Manuscripts Survey
7. Inventory of Negro Manuscripts
8. Transcripts of County Records
9. Transcripts of Municipal Records
10. Photographs
11. Historical Records Survey Correspondence
12. Survey Forms of 1987 Survey of Records in Counties and Municipalities.

Professor of history, civil rights activist, scholar of African American history. Family and professional correspondence, newspaper clippings, articles, reviews, and printed material reflecting her political activism, her interest in black history, the case of Robert Williams, and her scholarly interests.

The Gwendolyn Midlo Hall Papers, 1939-1998, are comprised of materials documenting the professional and personal life of a historian and civil rights activist. The collection is divided into four series: Personal and Biographical, Academic Career, and Writings.

Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Scattered correspondence, and clippings detailing his career, church programs and printed material; also photographs.

The papers of Bishop Hubert N. Robinson are divided into six series: biographical, correspondence, clippings and scrapbooks, programs, A.M.E. printed material, and photographs.

Papers include correspondence, diary, clippings, and photographs relating to his experience as a prisoner; correspondence relating to his Purple Heart award and the Prisoner of War medal. Also included a memoir by Sidney Esensten about his experience as an American P.O.W. during the Korean War.

Visual materials include photos relating to his experience as a prisoner; videotape entitled "P.O.W.--Americans in Enemy Hands" (1986), which includes interview with Fletcher; videotape of 1990 presentation by Fletcher and three Tuskegee Airmen, African American World War II aviators, describing their military experiences, and an undated videotape "Priority: P.O.W."

Michigan office of national organization concerned with peace, poverty, and other matters of social justice. Administrative files, topical files, and regional and national office materials; contain files relating to their interest in pacifism, draft counseling, community service, prison reform and other issues relating to the criminal justice system, and peace education (especially relating to the Middle East and the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians), and lesbian/gay issues.

The records of the Michigan Area Office of the American Friends Service Committee have been arranged into the followings series: Executive Committee / Coordinating Committee; Peace Education Committee; Community Relations Committee; National and Regional Offices; Administrative files; Topical files; and Audio-Visual Materials.

Member of the Ann Arbor Human Relations Commission; minutes and other materials relating to race relations in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The collection contains minutes, correspondence, clippings, and printed material dealing largely with her work with the Ann Arbor Human Relations Commission and the problem of race relations in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Commission was particularly involved in issues of discrimination in housing and employment.