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Governor of Michigan 1949 to 1960, under-secretary of state for African Affairs from 1961 to 1965, and Michigan Supreme Court justice from 1970 to 1986 and leader in state and national Democratic Party. Papers document his public career and aspects of his personal and family life and include correspondence, subject files, staff files, speeches, press releases and news clippings, photographs, sound recordings, films and videotapes.

The G. Mennen Williams Papers consist of official and personal files arranged into six subgroups: 1) Gubernatorial papers, 1949-1960 (681 linear ft.); 2) Non-gubernatorial papers, 1883-1948 and 1958-1988 (107 linear ft.); 3) Visual materials, ca. 1911-1988 (ca. 25 linear ft.); 4) sound recordings, 1950-ca. 1988 (5 linear ft.) Scrapbooks, 1948-1987 (43 vols.) and State Department Microfilm, 1961-1966 (23 reels).

As part of its own control system, the governor's office maintained a card index to the correspondents in many of the subgroups and series within the gubernatorial papers. This card file is located in the library's reading room. In addition, Nancy Williams and her staff compiled an extensive and detailed run of scrapbooks covering the Williams years. There is a separate inventory to these scrapbooks in a separately bound volume.

Strategy for Use of the Gubernatorial Papers: Although the Williams gubernatorial collection consists of hundreds of linear feet of material, the file arrangement created by the governor's staff is a fairly simple one to understand and to use.

The bulk of the collection falls within specific functional groupings, corresponding to the various activities and responsibilities that Williams performed as governor. Thus, if the researcher is uncertain of what portions of the collection might be relevant to his/her research, he/she is advised to think in terms of gubernatorial function. Does the proposed research concern the workings or area responsibility of a state board? If so, the Boards and Commissions series would be the most likely place in which to find material. The election of 1954? Then Democratic Party/Campaign Papers should be first choice. The passage of a specific piece of legislation? Here, Legislative Files is an obvious choice. The possible choices (called subgroups and series) that the researcher has are listed in the Organization of the Collection section. A description of the contents of each of these subgroups/series is provided below.

If, at first, unsuccessful in finding material on any given topic, the researcher might consider these additional strategies:

1. Refer to the Williams card index (located in the library's reading room). Sometimes, the name of an individual associated with a subject provides the easiest point of access into the collection. This file is arranged alphabetically and lists the dates of letters between an individual and the governor's office. This file only indexes the larger series and subgroups in the collection. It does not index the staff files, or parts of the Democratic Party/Campaign subgroup. Nevertheless it is an invaluable tool, and can uncover important material otherwise buried.

2. Refer to the various series of staff papers. Staff members were often closely involved in a specific subject areas (Jordan Popkin and aging, for example) and thus their files are frequently rich in source material.

3. If only partially successful in locating desired material, the researcher should think of an alternative subgroup or series. The governor's office, for a variety of reasons, often filed related material in different locations depending upon the source of a document. Thus, information relating to a strike might be filed both under the Labor Mediation Board in Boards and Commissions, and Strikes in General Subjects. Furthermore, if the strike influenced a specific piece of legislation, there could be material in the Legislative Files.

The Goebel family of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Scrapbooks, correspondence, photographs, and printed materials related to Paul G. Goebel Sr., his wife, Margaret E. Goebel, and their son, Paul G. Goebel Jr. Materials primarily document the senior Goebel's student athletic career as a University of Michigan football player, mayor of Grand Rapids, and U-M Regent as well as the Goebel Jr.'s unsuccessful run for Michigan's 5th Congressional District.

The Goebel family papers are comprised of scrapbooks, correspondence, photographs, and printed material documenting two generations of the Goebel family. The collection primarily documents Paul G. Goebel Sr. (1901-1988) including biographical materials, photographs from Japan during World War II, and scrapbooks and newspaper clippings from his athletic career including captain of the University of Michigan football team, Mayor of Grand Rapids, and U-M Regent. Of note are a small number of personal letters from President Gerald R. Ford, with whom the Goebels were friends.

The Margaret E. Goebel materials (1942-1987) include a scrapbook of her writings and biographical files. The papers of Paul G. Goebel Jr. (1970-1974), document his two unsuccessful bids for public office including the University of Michigan Board of Regents (1970) and United States Republican Congressman from Michigan (1974).

The photo albums series (1971-1987) includes three volumes that contain the Goebel family photographs; as well as personal letters from President Gerald Ford and his wife Betty Ford, photographs, programs, clippings, and ephemera related to various events at the White House.

Republican state senator, 1948-1950, from Kent County, Michigan, state auditor general, 1950-1954, unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate nomination in 1952, and member of the Republican National Committee. Correspondence, newspaper clippings, speeches and printed material relating to his political career, particularly his activities on the Michigan Commission on Aging, the Michigan Constitutional Convention of 1961-1962, and the Michigan Senate campaign of 1952.

The John B. Martin papers consists of correspondence, memoranda, clippings, and subject files relating to his political and organizational activities. The series in the collection are: Correspondence; Newspaper clippings; Political and Campaign Materials; Auditor General, 1950-1954; Aging organizations; Michigan Constitutional Convention, 1961-1962; Michigan Crime and Delinquency Council; Scrapbooks; Sound Recordings; Visual Materials; and Miscellaneous.

Businessman and Republican mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1950-1954 and 1956-1958, delegate to the 1961 constitutional convention, and regent of University of Michigan. Correspondence, mayoral topical files, campaign materials, and scrapbooks concerning his activities in opposition to the political leadership of Frank D. McKay and George Welsh, the Republican National Convention of 1960, the work of the constitutional convention, and the founding of WZZM-TV and photographs.

The Paul G. Goebel papers include correspondence, mayoral topical files, campaign materials, and scrapbooks concerning his activities in opposition to the political leadership of Frank D. McKay and George Welsh, the Republican National Convention of 1960, the work of the constitutional convention, and the founding of WZZM-TV. A small file of photographs consists of portraits, campaign photographs, and photos of Goebel at public functions The series in the collection include Correspondence; Mayoralty Papers; Personal and Political; Scrapbooks; Constitutional Convention; and Photographs.

Democratic Congressman from Michigan's 15th District, 1964-1994, member of the Labor and Education Committee his entire career - becoming chairman in 1991, also chairman of Post Office and Civil Service Committee; papers include subject files, legislative and committee files, campaign material, photographs and videotapes.

The William D. Ford papers are divided into seven series: Subject Files, Legislative Files, Committee Files, Campaign Material, Public Relations, Photographs, and Audiovisual Material. The collection is primarily an office file which documents Ford's activities as a local representative, federal legislator and politician. Constituents' opinions and concerns are represented as well, particularly in the correspondence and questionnaire response files.