Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

The prints are illustrative of significant moments in the history of Michigan from pre-history to World War II.

Escanaba, Michigan, newspaperman. Subject files (including collected materials) relating to his research interest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, notably in the area of Cedar River, Escanaba, and Menominee; include manuscript of writings, subject files, and photographs.

The papers of Jean Worth consists largely of collected material relating to his research interest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The collection has been divided into the following series: Cedar River; Escanaba; Menominee; and Upper Peninsula -General.

Clerk to Gen. Lewis Cass on 1819 expedition among Indians of upper Great Lakes, Indian agent and negotiator, mayor of Detroit in 1834, and later University of Michigan regent. Papers consist primarily of material relating to his early experience among the Indians including reports to Cass and other accounts of Indian life and language. Consists in part of photostats of material held by the Burton Historical Library.

The Trowbridge collection consists mainly of materials accumulated during the early years of his career when he was acting as Indian agent and when he devoted himself to the study of the languages and customs of the native Americans of the upper midwest.

The major portion of the Trowbridge papers are located at the Burton Historical Collection (NUCMC 70-1194)

Web collection of websites created by various ethnic and cultural communities of the State of Michigan, archived by the Bentley Historical Library using the California Digital Library Web Archiving Service crawler from 2010-2015 and the Archive-It web archiving service beginning in 2015.

The Web Archive of Michigan's Ethnic and Cultural Communities collection contains archived websites created by various ethnic and cultural communities of the State of Michigan. The websites have been archived by the Bentley Historical Library, using the California Digital Library Web Archiving Service crawler from 2010-2015 and the Archive-It web archiving service beginning in 2015. Access to all websites archived by the Bentley Historical Library is available at: https://archive-it.org/organizations/934.

Web Archives include websites of African American, Arab American, Native American, Asian American and other ethnic communities and organizations who call the state of Michigan home. The collection is especially strong in documenting African American, Arab American, and Native American communities, business, religious, cultural and civil rights organizations, as well as distinguished individuals who belong to these communities.

The year that appears next to the website title in the contents list indicates the date that the website was first archived. Archived versions of the site from later dates may also be available.

The American Indian Services (AIS) is a non-profit organization which administers Federal programs for Native American families in Southeast Michigan, predominantly in metropolitan Detroit. The collection primarily consists of photographs and newspaper clippings documenting events and projects put on by the organization. Records also include executive meeting minutes and records of legal actions taken by the AIS.

The American Indian Services (AIS) records primarily consist of board meeting minutes, legal documents, newspaper clippings, and photographs. While the collection contains material covering 1972 to 2016, the bulk of it documents the organization from 1994 to 2013. An Administrative folder contains new Board Member orientation packet as well as management reports. Four folders within the collection contain minutes from the AIS Board of Directors quarterly meeting from 1994 to 2016. The minutes discuss the various projects taken on by the organization as well as discussion of political events.

There are multiple folders covering legal action taken by the AIS protecting rights of Native Americans. Each folder covers a different lawsuit or legal action the AIS took part in. Folders include background, correspondence, drafts of legal records, and other documentation. The dates of these events range from the 1990s to the 2000s and cover disputes of how local, state, and national governments handle American Indian affairs. These include issues ranging from health care coverage to protection of local historical locations.

The collection contains numerous newspaper clippings collected by the organization. The articles span the years 2000 to 2008 and come from newspapers such as The Detroit News, The News-Herald, The Detroit Free Press, as well as local and more topical news sources in the area. Articles cover Native American related stories in Southeast Michigan and document the work of American Indian Services Executive Director Fay Givens. Folders with photographs from the 1990s and 2000s are grouped by event. One folder contains brochures and flyers from the organization advertising American Indian Services events.

Chippewa Indian from Bay City, Michigan. Topical files relating to his activities on behalf of Indian rights, including his interest in native American education, land claims, and disputes over hunting and fishing rights.

The collection consists of topical files detailing Marvin Fisher's organizational activities and his interest in native American causes in general.

The Kurath collection includes two field recordings entitled, "Michigan Indian Hymns" and "Michigan Indian Native Songs", produced by Gertrude P. Kurath from 1953-1954. A copy of Kurath's transcript for "Religious Customs of Modern Michigan Algonquians" is also included in the collection.

This collection includes two field recordings, "Michigan Indian Hymns" and "Michigan Indian Native Songs", recorded by Gertrude P. Kurath from 1953-1954. It also includes a copy of the transcript for "Religious Customs of Modern Michigan Algonquians" written and researched by Kurath.

Executive Director of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs from 1973-1977. The Commission was a result of the 1956 Governor's Study Commission on Indian Problems and worked within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on policies to improve the health, housing, education and economic status of Native Americans in Michigan. Hillman also worked with the North American Indian Association. Reports, policy proposals, directories, newsletters, memoranda from the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs, as well as Hillman's personal correspondence and other papers.

The James R. Hillman papers contain materials related to the work of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs. It also contains additional materials related to Hillman, including his work with the North American Indian Association and his personal writings as a history student at Wayne State University. The materials illustrate the workings of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs, the issues faced by Native Americans in Michigan during this period, and Hillman's personal leadership and work on these concerns.

The collection has been divided into two series:

The Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs series contains records related to the work of the Commission between 1970-1981. Materials include directories of Native American organizations and individuals, reports, office files, meeting information and other internal documents. This series also contains Hillman's theoretical proposal for the creation of an independent organization to distribute funds that would be run entirely by Native Americans.

The James R. Hillman materials series contains the personal papers of Hillman and documents activities related to his work with the Detroit chapter of the North American Indian Association. The series includes papers written by Hillman as a history student at Wayne State University and materials he compiled for reference, as well as his personal correspondence and clippings. Materials related to the North American Indian Association include office files, study reports and other reference documents.

Historian and archivist at the University of Michigan, archivist of the United States, dean of the University of Michigan School of Information and Library Studies. Records, 1980-1985, detailing his activities as Archivist of the United States; documentation prepared by Warner in 1972 and submitted to the Indian Claims Commission relating primarily to Indian land claims in Michigan and Ohio; files detailing archival career interests, as director of the Michigan Historical Collections (now Bentley Historical Library) and as a member of the Society of American Archivists.

The Robert M. Warner Papers date from 1945 to 2007. These materials primarily highlight Warner's lengthy professional career, documenting his various teaching and administrative positions at the University of Michigan, his appointment as Archivist of the United States and the subsequent administration at the National Archives. Also documented is the appointment of his successor at the National Archives, his return to the University of Michigan as Dean of the School of Information and Library Science, and his activities on various boards and foundations after his retirement. Much of the records documenting his tenure as the director of the Michigan Historical Collections (now the Bentley Historical Library) can be found under the official Bentley Historical Library record group.

The Robert M. Warner collection has been divided into ten series: Biography; Correspondence; Indian Court Claims; National Archives; School of Information and Library Science and Dean of the Michigan Library Systems; Teaching Materials and Scholarly Research; Professional Activities, Speeches; Scrapbooks and Scrapbook Materials, and Audio-Visual Material.

Amateur archeologist and historian from Niles (Berrien County), Michigan. Biographical and personal material; correspondence; publications; talks, radio interviews and other public presentations; archeological site notes and reports; research sources and notes; maps; photographs; and files relating to his activities with the southwest chapter, Michigan Archeological Society; contain materials relating to his interest in the archaeology, Indian anthropology, and history of the area around Berrien and Cass Counties; also papers documenting his relationship with professionals in various disciplines at the University of Michigan Museums and elsewhere.

The collection touches on most aspects of Green's life from 1940 to 1967. Material on his business activities is, however, minimal. It is his archeological and historical work that the collection documents most thoroughly. Green's correspondence is full of reports, inquiries, and discussions about the theoretical and practical facets of archaeology, focusing largely upon fossil and artifact finds in southwestern Michigan; the letters also illuminate the occasionally trying relationship between professionals and amateurs in the field. The practical aspect of archaeology is documented, too, in an incomplete assortment of Green's site notes. Green's historical research interests are well represented in his correspondence, as well as in some interesting source material and notes on Ft. St. Joseph and on Jesuit missions in Berrien County. Most of Green's writings on both archaeology and history--in the guise of formal papers and informal presentations--are included. A large number of newspaper clippings provide an overview of the activities and achievements of both Green and the Southwest Chapter of MAS. Chapter activities are also documented in its newsletter, its annual reports, and its miscellaneous mailings.

The collection contains virtually nothing on Green's life to 1932, thus omitting his work on the Franz Green Mound. From 1932 through 1939 only scattered portions of correspondence exist. Documentation is substantial, though still not complete, for the years 1940 through 1967; in places letters are obviously missing from the correspondence file, no draft exists of Green's 1961 paper, "An Adena-type Gorget in Michigan," and neither his filmstrip nor a final draft of the narrative for it is extant. Neither Green's large artifact collection nor his library is represented. The collection contains virtually nothing about his farming activities or his family.

The Amos Green Papers have been arranged into nine series: Biographical and Personal, Correspondence, Publications and Presentations, Archeological Fieldwork: Site Notes and Reports, Research, Maps, MAS Southwest Chapter, and Photographs.

Ed Beach was an amateur photographer whose photographs document his hometown of Howell, Michigan and historical sites in other Michigan communities. His collection consists of photographic negatives (with some prints) and albums with prints of historic plaques and markers, statues of famous statesmen and their gravesites, early school buildings, historic houses, gristmills, sawmills, and county courthouses.

The Ed Beach collection consists of photographic negatives (with some prints) and albums with prints of historic plaques and markers, statues of famous statesmen and their gravesites, early school buildings, historic houses, gristmills, sawmills, and county courthouses. Other subjects include tourist sites in Michigan (such as Greenfield Village or Mackinac Island) and state parks, especially those in the Upper Peninsula. His hometown of Howell, Michigan is also heavily documented.

The Beach collection is arranged into three series. In the Kodak series the negatives measure 2 3/4 by 4 1/2 inches in size and cover the years 1931 to 1948. The Leica series consists of 35-millimeter strips and were taken between the years 1936 and 1938. The third series consists of seven albums of carefully identified photographs.

An item-level listing of the contents of the Kodak and Leica series is available at the library. To aid researchers a geographic and subject index has been created and is attached to this finding aid. These indices provide the best introduction to the collection.

Beach created the photograph albums around broad topics, and each has a title. The albums include: "Michigan Historic Places," "Around Lake Erie in Ontario. Trip to Chicago Century of Progress," "Michigan Courthouses," "Michigan Ships, Monuments, Historic Places, Buildings, Creek Scenes," "Indian and Trail Markers," "Around Michigan: Historic Places, Buildings, Mills, Dams, Bridges, Masonic Buildings," and "Michigan Governors' Homes, Michigan Trees, Old Buildings of Michigan." The photos in the albums include Beach's negative number.

Historian of American Indian history and literature, research associate at the Newberry Library, secretary of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs, and expert witness in legal cases involving Indian treaty rights. The collection contains correspondence, reports, clippings, and printed material concerning work of the Commission and status of Indians in Michigan; also depositions and other documents in the case of United States v. Michigan, landmark Indian fishing rights case.

The Helen Hornbeck Tanner papers are composed of ten series: Personal / Biographical; Correspondence; Articles and other writings; Research and Writing Projects; Conferences and symposia; Topical files; Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs; U.S. v. Michigan; Other Litigation; and Printed Material.

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.

The last will and testament of Horace H. Rackham provided for the establishment of a trust fund to provide for the health and welfare of individuals, particularly the sick, aged, the young, the poor, and other underprivileged. Much of the trust money went to the University of Michigan to be used for a building for the graduate school and an endowment to be used for different kinds of research. The Fund also awarded grants to agencies involved in child welfare, community culture, education, health, philanthropy, and science. The Fund distributed money from 1934 until about 1941. The series in this record group consist of administrative and executive files, and project applications and grant files.

The records of the Horace H. Rackham and Mary A. Rackham Fund document the continuing generosity of Horace Rackham and Mary Rackham to numerous charitable, educational, and scientific organizations and causes. The records contain the files of the Fund's trustees and directors and provide insight and information about such topics as the administration of a philanthropic fund-giving organization during the mid-1930s, the kinds of gifts made, the relationship among the Fund's trustees and officers, and the relationship between the Fund and the grant recipients. Because of the size of the gift, most of the documentation within the record group details the close ties between the Fund and the University of Michigan. These files concern not only the establishment of the Rackham endowment to the University, but also the different scientific and educational grants made. Additionally, these files detail the construction of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies building in Ann Arbor and the Rackham Educational Memorial building in Detroit.

The records of the Fund cover the period of 1929-1950 though they bulk largest for the period of the Fund's greatest activity, 1934-1940. The record group has been separated into two series: Combined Administrative and Executive Office Files and Project applications/grants.

Leland, Michigan, journalist and author. Papers relating to his work as writer and editor for Reader's Digest; scripts and other papers concerning his activities as scriptwriter for radio, television, and motion picture production; copies of magazine articles; and material concerning the role of the United States in Mexican border troubles prior to World War I; also photographs.

The collections includes biographical and personal materials, correspondence, clippings, articles, motion picture and radio scripts, photographs, and copies of his writings from various magazines.

Volney H. Jones was a leading ethnobotanist and served as Curator of Ethnology at the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology from 1945 to 1969. The papers include correspondence with ethnobotanists and anthropologists, including Edward F. Castetter and Leslie A. White, administrative files, biographical information on anthropologists, teaching files for Jones' courses within the Department of Anthropology, and notes for unpublished textbooks on ethnobotany. The papers also include correspondence with Chase S. Osborn, Stellanova B. Osborn, and Milo M. Quaife concerning a project to establish a Friends of the Michigan Indian organization, and correspondence and reports from Ted Bank concerning the University of Michigan expeditions to the Aleutian Islands.

The Volney H. Jones Papers include correspondence with ethnobotanists and anthropologists, including Edward F. Castetter and Leslie A. White, administrative files, biographical information on anthropologists, teaching files for Jones' courses within the Department of Anthropology, and notes for unpublished textbooks on ethnobotany. The papers also include correspondence with Chase S. Osborn, Stellanova B. Osborn, and Milo M. Quaife concerning a project to establish a Friends of the Michigan Indian organization, and correspondence and reports from Ted Bank concerning the University of Michigan expeditions to the Aleutian Islands. The Jones papers are comprised of eight series: Correspondence, Administrative Files, Biographies and Bibliographies, Teaching Files, Culture Areas and Ethnobotany Textbook Files, Hopi Research Files and Maize Research.

Traverse City, Michigan, free-lance writer and conservation editor of Field and Stream magazine; correspondence, manuscripts of writings, diaries, topical files, and photographs.

The collection includes correspondence, manuscript articles, and conservation columns; materials collected by the Michigan Writers' Program concerning Michigan logging; also diaries, speeches, newspaper clippings, notebooks, genealogy, photographs, and miscellaneous material concerning Titus' interest in conservation, forestry, and fishing.

Zoologist, college professor, president of University of Michigan, 1929-1951. Professional files relating to his career with the University Museum and as a professor of zoology, and presidential files containing correspondence, reports, speeches, and other University materials, including budget and legislative files, material relating to changes in University administration, his relationship with faculty, students and alumni, and photographs.

The Alexander Ruthven papers consists of two series of records. The first is the papers of Ruthven as president of the University of Michigan, 1929 to 1951. The second, and smaller, series is the files maintained by Ruthven as a zoologist with the University Museum and as professor of zoology. This latter series dates largely from 1908 to 1929 but also includes collected earlier files from the 1870s.

Richard L. Zurel is an archaeologist who has conducted research on Native Americans in Michigan. The Richard L. Zurel papers, 1914-2011, contain materials related to his work in the field of archaeology documenting Native American groups in Michigan, as well as materials related to his family history. The collection contains materials related to the Michigan Archaeological Society and the Aboriginal Research Club of Detroit.

The Richard L. Zurel papers, 1897-2011, contain research materials and photographs related to his archaeological work in Michigan, as well as printed materials and minutes of the Aboriginal Research Club of Detroit and of the Michigan Archaeological Society. Collection also contains Zurel family photographs depicting family members, as well as photographs and postcards depicting locations in the Upper Michigan Peninsula.

Journalist, historical researcher from Kalamazoo, Michigan; Correspondence, research articles and notes, and photographs.

The Weissert collection includes correspondence, 1893-1947, including letters from Joseph Bailly, Clarence M. Burton, Gurdon S. Hubbard, Chase S. Osborn, Albert E. Sleeper, and George Van Pelt. There are also speeches, and writings mostly on Michigan history topics, including Indian history and the history of Kalamazoo and Barry County. The series of research notes illustrates the variety of Weissert's interests: historical personalities, forts, Michigan cities, and early state history. The photographs and snapshots pertain to Weissert's interest in Michigan history, especially homes, churches, mills, hotels, businesses, and other sites primarily in western Michigan, but also including Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island. There are also photographs of Michigan pioneers, particularly from the Hastings, Michigan area.