Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Archives of folklore collected by students in the course "Survey of American Folklore" offered by the University of Michigan Program in American Culture and first taught by Bruce Conforth in 2005. Collected folklore reports compiled by students in American Folklore course based on oral interviews with informants. (Interviews are included on a variety of physical formats--cassettes, microcassettes, CDs, VHS tapes). Reports include essays, transcripts on topics ranging from popular folklore to campus legends and traditions.

The American Culture Folklore and Oral History Archives consists of folklore collection reports prepared by undergraduate students in the American Folklore course offered by the University of Michigan Program in American Culture. Prior to the transfer to the Bentley Historical Library, the folklore reports were organized according to general topics by students in the course and placed in archival folders and boxes under the direction of the professor. That order has been retained. Very often the media and objects included in the report have remained. The collection is meant to directly serve students who may take the Survey of American Folklore class in the future, and indirectly to those who, years from now, may re-discover and research aspects of American folklore that were pertinent during present day.

There is considerable overlap in subject matter between the categories of collecting topics. In the collection, folders for the first set of reports in a series are ordered according to their pre-assigned number (which can be found in the Administrative Files series) and not according to the last name of the student or title. For the second set, however, where no such number exists, the reports are ordered by surname of the student. In this finding aid, only the student's name and title of the report is listed. Further in the series names will appear to be in alphabetical order when the pre-assigned numbers were not continued.

George Lincoln Rockwell was the founder and leader of the American Nazi Party. This sound recording is from a speech he gave at Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan in 1964. Everett M. Dirksen was a member of Congress from Illinois. The sound recording also includes a speech he gave on the state of union.

The George Lincoln Rockwell sound recording consists of a single tape reel. The recording consists of a speech George Lincoln Rockwell gave at Hill Auditorium on October 13, 1964. Rockwell's appearance was part of a speakers program sponsored by the Special Projects Committee of the Michigan Union. It stirred considerable controversy on campus on the nature of the American Nazi Party, the limits of academic freedom, and the role of the university in society.

The recording also includes a 1964 speech from Illinois Senator Everett M. Dirksen on the State of Union.

Statewide organization established in part to create an awareness of Michigan's cultural heritage and architectural history and to encourage the preservation and stewardship of important state historic resources. Records document the administration and programs of the Network, including conferences, publications, training sessions, and awards given for local preservation achievements.

These records were assembled and processed in 2004 in preparation for a conference marking the organization's 25th anniversary. The records are organized in five series corresponding to the creators of the records.

Oral interview on two CDs with Virginia Allan conducted by Jean Rainey under the auspices of the Pennsylvania State University Archives as part of its "A Few Good Women" Oral History Collection. Also included is an edited transcript of the interview.