Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

The Arts of Citizenship Program at the University of Michigan fostered the role of the arts and humanities through collaborative cultural partnerships and community projects in the Ann Arbor and Detroit area. The program aimed to enrich public life and to enlarge the university's educational mission. These records contains notes, correspondence, publicity, audiovisual materials, presentations, and other material documenting the administration, public programming, and community partnerships undertaken by the Arts of Citizenship program. Also included is a website capture taken July 18, 2005.

The Arts of Citizenship (AOC) Program documentation consists of notes, correspondence, publicity, audiovisual materials (audiocassettes, digital materials, videotapes), and other material documenting the daily administrative activities, public programming, outreach, research, and community partnerships. The record group is divided into three series: Administration, Project Files, and Website. These series represent the original order of materials as received upon accession. The researcher should note that the records do not provide an in-depth portrayal of AOC, but rather information about the operation, functions, and details on specific projects undertaken by the program.

Barbara Bach first worked as a Boston area schoolteacher and creator of television documentaries. After receiving a Master's degree in Education in 1969, she became an Ann Arbor, Mich. businesswoman, networking facilitator, fundraiser, and lifelong educator/mentor to individuals and organizations. The collection includes business records, association newsletters, campaign literature, photographs, and correspondence representing her multiple careers as an entrepreneur, legislative aide, community activist, and executive director in a policy environment promoting economic development in Michigan.

The Barbara Bach papers reflect a context of turbulent economic conditions and ground-breaking socio-political events. Some defining highlights of Bach's political efforts include her work with the Ann Arbor Public Schools Title IX Monitoring Committee for gender equality in sports, her nonpartisan campaign work for the county-wide Washtenaw County SAFE House proposal to assist victims of domestic violence, and her Democratic Party campaign work on behalf of Albert H. Wheeler, Ann Arbor's first African American mayor.

However, Bach's business experience and activities on behalf of economic development and job training in the State of Michigan, in connection with the Michigan Community Colleges Association (MCCA) and as Executive Director of the Inventors' Council of Michigan (INCOM), represent the bulk of the collection.

During the 1980s, community colleges were becoming a focal point for job-related training as a precursor to economic development. Organizations such as the Michigan Technology Council (MTC), with support from the University of Michigan, brought together leaders from business, industry, and government in an effort to facilitate technology transfer through commercial applications and new product development.

Economic recession had helped to heighten interest, at all levels of government, in the policy concept of economic development through entrepreneurial successes. Ideally, through teaching, research, and networking assistance, an entrepreneurial "supercenter" would encourage new product and business development, ultimately creating jobs throughout the economy.

Throughout much of her career in Michigan, Barbara Bach was known as Barbara Eldersveld. The collection also includes some materials from her early public service activities in Massachusetts as Barbara Damon.

The collection is organized into eight series: Personal/Biographical, Greater Boston Area, Teaching and Educational Settings, Political, Business and Entrepreneurial, State Government, Inventors' Council of Michigan (INCOM), and Ann Arbor Community Service.

William D. Ratcliff (1941-) was an educator within the Ann Arbor, Mich. Public School system for over 30 years who took an active interest in the education of African-American youth in the Ann Arbor school district. This collection covers the time Ratcliff spent as the Executive Director of the Saturday Academy for African American Students, as well as his time as a guidance counselor within Ann Arbor Public Schools. The collection includes general information about the Ann Arbor Public School district, and information regarding the many organizations and programs that Ratcliff took part in.

William D. Ratcliff (1941-) was a counselor within the Ann Arbor Public School system for over 30 years. This collection documents his time within Ann Arbor Public Schools, as well as his work promoting the achievement of African-American youth in the Ann Arbor educational system. The collection is of value to those interested in collections reflecting community efforts to relieve educational disparities seen among minority students and for documentation on how a successful non-profit organization functions. The collection is divided into six series: the Saturday Academy series (divided into 2 subseries, Administrative and Academics), the African-American and Minority Organizations/Programs series, the Educational Organizations/Programs series, the Ann Arbor Public Schools series, the Newspaper Clippings series, and the Audiovisual materials series.