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A. Alfred Taubman was an entrepreneur, real estate developer and philanthropist. The Taubman collection consists of business and personal records documenting his development of retail and mixed-use real estate projects, his role as a leader in the real estate industry in Michigan and nationally, his transformation of Sotheby's, his investments and business interests, his contributions to the arts, to American educational institutions, and to the city of Detroit.

This collection documents the business and philanthropic activities of A. Alfred Taubman. While this collection is not a comprehensive archive of Taubman's business and personal activities, it offers a rich and abundant resource for researchers interested in the history of commercial real estate development and those interested in Taubman's varied business concerns and philanthropic work. The bulk of the materials date from the early 1960s to the mid-1990s and include both records created by Taubman and a number of staff members of The Taubman Company. The collection is organized into eight series:

1. Shopping Centers/Commercial Development
2. Industry Leadership
3. Detroit Development
4. Business Investments
5. University Endowments
6. Topical
7. Personal
8. Athena Azerbaijan and Russia Development Projects

Correspondence, reports, and financial statements, dealing with the foundation's support of marriage counseling, child guidance programs, and other social programs.

The James Foster Foundation records (0.5 linear feet) document the organization's charitable activities between 1950 and 1963, with the bulk covering the period 1950-1956.

The collection is arranged into folders containing background clippings, bylaws and governing documents, board minutes, financial materials, and correspondence. In addition, there are a few files relating to specific activities of the Foundation, notably the evaluative research in social work conducted by David French and the Michigan Welfare League, a marriage counseling program for Washtenaw County, and a Michigan Foundation's conference sponsored in 1954.