Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

John Dingell, Jr. was Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan and longest-serving member in congressional history, 1955-2015. Dingell was the son of John Dingell, Sr. (Democratic congressman from Michigan's 15th district, 1933-1955), and husband of Debbie Dingell, who succeeded him as Representative of Michigan's 12th district in 2015. The collection documents John Dingell, Jr.'s election campaigns and his 59-year tenure in Congress. Records include legislative files, correspondence, speeches, scrapbooks, press clippings, photographs, and audiovisual materials.

The collection documents John D. Dingell, Jr.'s political career including his 59 years in the United States House of Representatives (1955-2015). The papers include campaign materials documenting Dingell's 29 elections, Democratic National Committee and Michigan Democratic Party materials, and redistricting in Michigan.

The bulk of the papers document Dingell's tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives including legislative files on topics such as civil rights, healthcare, insurance, Social Security, Medicare, environmental issues, endangered species, the auto industry, agriculture, taxes, and trade; administrative office files including correspondence, schedules, voting records, and legislative planning; and photographs, press clippings, scrapbooks, and speeches.

The collection includes born-digital records, as well as 254 pieces of audiovisual material, described in the Container Listing at the item level. Dingell's member website, campaign website, as well as his personal Twitter account are cataloged separately.

Board meeting minutes, correspondence, newsletters, position statements on various statements, and pamphlets and other publications; also visual materials; subjects covered by files include environmental quality, education, and women's rights issues.

The records of the Detroit League of Women Voters cover the years 1930 to 1988, although its primary coverage is 1960 through 1980. The record group measures four linear feet in size and is arranged alphabetically by subject. Included are minutes from board meetings, correspondence, newsletters, League positions on various bills, pamphlets and other publications. Minutes from annual meetings are included in the board meetings file. One file contains correspondence from the Wayne County League of Women Voters dating back to 1930.

The largest files in the record group concerns environmental quality, education (busing, desegregation, and teacher certification), housing, human resources and women's issues (abortion, ERA and mortgage credit). The extensive environmental files cover air pollution, land use, phosphates and clean water.