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Collection

George Murphy papers, 1911-1961

15 linear feet — 1 volume — 1 oversize folder

Judge of the Recorder's Court in Detroit and Frank Murphy's brother; contain correspondence, legal briefs, newspaper clippings, and other materials concerning Detroit politics, 1935-1961, the grand jury investigation of Detroit street railways, 1936, arbitration of labor disputes, 1936-1941, investigation of the Charles Street housing project, 1939-1940, as well as materials illuminating the careers and personal affairs of both George and Frank Murphy, especially in relation to Detroit and the Philippine Islands.

The George Murphy papers, which encompass the years 1911 to 1961, are most comprehensive for the decade following 1932. During this period - the most politically active in Murphy's career - the correspondence is especially useful in illustrating George Murphy's role in his brother's emergence as a politician, especially his role as dispenser of patronage in the depression years. The papers, of course, illuminate the social function performed by the Recorder's Court and contain voluminous correspondence with state and federal judges, attorneys, prisoners, prison officials, probation officers, etc. Judge Murphy also maintained close contact with affairs in his home town, Harbor Beach. Included in the collection are significant materials on affairs in the Philippines during his brother's governorship there, particularly correspondence during the years 1933 to 1936 with his sister, Marguerite, Eleanor Bumgardner, and with leading Filipinos concerning conditions there.

Collection

Geraldine Blair papers, 1959-1987 (majority within 1977-1987)

1 linear foot

Friend of peace activist Rebecca Shelley. Transcripts of oral history interviews with Rebecca Shelley conducted by Eric Hanson; correspondence regarding proposed movie about life of Rebecca Shelley; and miscellaneous collected Shelley materials, including photographs.

These papers contain transcripts of oral histories conducted with Shelley, biographical information on Shelley accumulated by Blair, and documentation of Blair's efforts to locate a biographer or actress interested in writing or enacting Rebecca Shelley's story. Unable to see the project through to completion, Blair donated these papers to the Bentley Library in April 1987.

The Papers of Geraldine Blair are divided into three series: Oral History Transcripts; Correspondence, 1973-1987; and Miscellaneous Materials Documenting Shelley's Life, 1959-1985.

Collection

Glenn Ruggles papers, 1880s-2011

2 linear feet

Glenn Ruggles is an oral historian based in Walled Lake, Michigan. His collection consists of audiocassettes, photographs, and supporting material from his oral history projects.

The collection is divided into series corresponding to particular oral history projects, followed by a Personal series and a Collected materials series.

Voices on the water : an oral and pictorial history of Antrim County's chain of lakes was published in 1998, with a second edition published in 2005. The series contains recordings of oral history interviews conducted in the preparation of the book along with photographs: original and copy prints of vintage views, some modern views, and snapshots of interviewees.

The library has release forms only for the interviews with Jo Anne Beemon, Warren Daane, Lena Stalker, and Byrnece White.

Collection

G. Mennen Williams and Nancy Quirk Williams oral history project, 1980-1982

3 linear feet — 52 digital audio files

Online
Oral history project of the Michigan Historical Collection to document politics and government during the gubernatorial administration of G. Mennen Williams; transcripts of interviews, sound cassettes, and administrative records of the project.

This is a collection of oral history tapes and interviews relating to the history of the gubernatorial administration of G. Mennen Williams. Interviews have been arranged alphabetically and include Paul Adams, Michael Berry, Geraldine N. Bledsoe, Ernest R. Boehm, Raymond Clevenger, John D. Dingell, Tom Downs, Alfred B. Fitt, Hicks and Martha Griffiths, Adelaide Hart, Jane B. Hart, Erma Henderson, Stella Lecznar, Wade H. McCree, Louis Mezzano, Victor G. Reuther, Horace Sheffield, Otis Smith, Paul W. Weber, Nancy (Quirk) Williams, Joseph L. Wisniewski, and Leonard Woodcock. Project files also include questionnaires (but not interviews) from other individuals associated with G. Mennen Williams.

Collection

Grand Valley State Colleges Oral History Project, 1976-1977

61 audiotapes (in 2 boxes; reel-to-reel tapes)

Oral history project undertaken by Professor John Tevebaugh of Grand Valley State Colleges in 1976. The focus of the interviews was the history of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Oral history project undertaken by Professor John Tevebaugh of Grand Valley State Colleges in 1976. The focus of the interviews was the history of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Interviewees included longtime residents of the city, church, business, and community leaders, as well as representatives of Grand Rapids ethnic groups. The interviews were subsequently used as the basis for a WUOM radio series entitled, "Fitzgerald's Prophecy." There are currently no transcripts for the interviews. There are, however, notes made from some of the interviews. These interview notes include individuals for whom there are no extant tapes.

Collection

Hazel Marie Losh papers, 1870s-1978

2 linear feet

Professor of astronomy at the University of Michigan, friend and booster of U-M athletics and athletes; correspondence, speeches, class materials, and photographs.

The collection is comprised of three series: Correspondence, course materials, and other papers; Photographs; and Sound Recording. The photographs are of Losh family members, photos relating to University of Michigan athletics and other interests. There are also photos of Hazel Losh teaching in the classroom. The Sound Recording is of Professor Thomas Slavens interviewing Professor Losh about her life and career. A transcript has been made of this recording.

Collection

Hinsdale family papers, 1857-1963

2 linear feet

Family of Burke A. Hinsdale, professor of education at the University of Michigan and president of Hiram College. The collection contains the papers of Burke Hinsdale and the papers of his three daughters, Mary Louise, Ellen Clarinda, and Mildred. Materials include correspondence, diaries, and photographs.

The Hinsdale family papers consist of material from Burke A. Hinsdale and his three daughters Mary, Ellen, and Mildred. The collection contains correspondence, journals, photographs, and other materials documenting the personal and professional lives of the Hinsdale family.

Some of the correspondents represented in the collection include Randolph G. Adams, John R. Alden, James B. Angell, Denis W. Brogan, Nicholas M. Butler, Donald J. Cawling, William E. Dodd, Lucretia Rudolph Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, Albert B. Hart, Anne O'Hare McCormick, Alice Freeman Palmer, Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Stimson, and Charles Sumner.

Collection

Historica Critica sound recordings and videotapes, 1984-1992

2 linear feet — 155.1 GB (online)

Online
University of Michigan faculty group interested in the history of the university. Sound recordings and videotapes of interviews with former University of Michigan faculty, regents, administrators, and other interested individuals about the history of the university.

The materials in the Historica Critica collection are arranged first according to the medium on which the interview is preserved: Reel-to-Reel Audiotapes, Cassette Audiotapes, and Videotapes. Within each medium, the materials are in alphabetical order according to the subject of the interview. Some of the reel-to-reel audiotapes have more than one interview subject; these are arranged alphabetically according to the primary subject. It appears that the interviewers transferred the materials on reel-to-reel audiotapes directly to cassettes in several cases. This facilitates the arrangement of the cassettes into alphabetical order according to subject. The dates listed in the finding aid are the dates of the interview. Summaries of the interviews, prepared by Virginia Harris, are found in Box 1.

Collection

History and Traditions of the University Committee (University of Michigan) records, 1991-2010

6 linear feet (in 7 boxes)

Online
The University of Michigan committee appointed by president James Duderstadt to facilitate the preservation, promotion, and appreciation of the history and traditions. Material includes oral history interviews with university presidents and their wives, administrative and academic officers, regents and faculty members, as well as administrative records.

The bulk of the History and Traditions Committee records consists of interviews (recordings and transcripts) with University of Michigan presidents, wives of presidents, regents, and administrators. Also included materials pertaining to the University of Michigan history, and administrative records.

Collection

Hugo K. Salchow papers, 1919, 1971

15 items — 3 audiocassettes — 1.52 GB

Online
Member of Co. G, 339th U.S. Infantry who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes partial transcript of interview recounting his experiences with the Polar Bear Expedition; and miscellanea collected at the time of the expedition.

The tapes contain two interviews conducted in Dec. 1971 by Sheldon Annis, in which Salchow describes his general memories of the campaign, the Russian people, Archangel, relations with British and French troops, his experiences at Camp Custer, machine gun training, army food, the mutiny of Co. I, and the morale of the troops. A partial transcript of one of the interviews is included in the papers, along with issues of The Trident, published aboard the U.S.S. Von Steuben while returning from Russia, six post cards of Archangel scenes, and some Russian money.

Collection

Institute for Social Research Oral History Videotapes and Transcripts, 1997-1998

1 linear foot — 4.5 MB (online)

Online
As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Institute for Social Research, individuals connected with the history were interviewed. Excerpts of the videotaped interviews were used to produce "In the Public Interest: Fifty years of Social Research." Includes videotaped interviews with ISR personalities and typed transcripts of the interviews. For some interviews only a transcript is available. A copy of the final product excerpted from the interviews is included along with digital materials containing copies of the transcripts.

During 1997-1998, as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of ISR, a series of filmed interviews were conducted by Erik Austin with individuals connected with the history of ISR. The interviews were excerpted and used to produce the videotape history In the Public Interest: Fifty Years of Social Research. Documentation from this project includes a copy of the final video, videotaped interviews with individuals associated with ISR, and typed transcripts of the interviews. The records are arranged as two series: Videotapes and Transcripts.

The Videotapes series (29 VHS tapes) includes a copy of In the Public Interest: Fifty Years of Social Research a copy made from a 1956 University of Michigan television program featuring Angus Campbell, and 27 videotapes of interviews from 1997-1998. The Transcripts series contains written transcriptions of the interviews, along with a digital convenience copy of the written text. The digital material contains the text of the interview transcripts in Microsoft Word, PDF and TXT formats. Researchers should note that there are some interviews for which only a transcript is available. As such, the transcript series is more comprehensive than the videotape series.

Collection

Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations (University of Michigan-Wayne State University).Unionism in the Automobile Industry Project, 1959-1963

130 transcripts and indices (in 4 boxes)

Transcripts of interviews conducted with Michigan labor leaders by staff of University of Michigan and Wayne State University Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The topics covered in these 129 interviews ranged from working conditions, reasons for interest in union, the interviewees' concept of management's reactions to collective bargaining, the strategy of union growth, sit-down strikes, the personalities of union leaders, the role of left wingers, the function of worker education, factional fights, work and production techniques, conversion to wartime production, political action, equal employment opportunities, the growth of various union functions, to the development of present-day auto contracts and Canadian labor relations. Overall the interviews give an intimate look into the development of unions and labor relations from the union's standpoint.

Collection

Inter-Cooperative Council (Ann Arbor, Mich.) records, 1932-2015

60 linear feet (in 60 boxes) — 9 oversize volumes — 31.72 GB (online)

Online
The Inter-Cooperative Council at Ann Arbor is an organization established to coordinate the activities of cooperative houses founded and operated by University of Michigan students. Their records are comprised of minutes, office files, and newsletters, as well as organization-level topices and related research. The collection also contains records of student cooperative, the Socialist House.

The records of the ICC at Ann Arbor cover the years 1932 to 2012 and are divided into ten series: Minutes, Office Files, Printed Materials, Events and Programs, Organizational Topical Files, Correspondence Files, Collected Research Materials, House Records, External Organizations, and Audio-Visual Materials.

Researchers should note that because of the differences between ICC office organizational systems and the individual processing archivists working on the collection, topics and materials might be found in multiple series.

Collection

James L. Curtis papers, 1927-2017

5 linear feet — 1 oversize item — 2.03 GB

Online
African American Psychiatrist, University of Michigan Medical School graduate (1946). Dr. Curtis was an advocate for affirmative action in medical schools and worked to improve the medical field for both Black patients and Black physicians. Record types include correspondence, research, reports, student counseling files, patient records, speeches, manuscripts, oral history, and photographs.

Dr. James L. Curtis's personal papers contain materials related to Albion, Michigan, as well as correspondence, a diary, awards, his writings in prose, photographs, and materials related to his philanthropic work. His professional papers primarily document Dr. Curtis's dedication to affirmative action and advancing the healthcare field for both marginalized communities and practitioners. Record types include correspondence, research data and notes, publications, patient/client files, student counseling files, reports, topical and reference files, photographs, as well as manuscripts and speeches written by Dr. Curtis. The audio-visual series contains photographs, scanned photographic material, and an oral history. Photographs appear among both personal and professional papers. Folder titles in these series indicate the presence of photographs.

Collection

Janice J. Terry papers, 1957-2007

1.5 linear feet — 5.98 GB (online)

Online
Janice J. Terry is a Middle East scholar and author, whose primary focuses are issues facing Palestine and Arab-Americans. The collection includes documents from Arab-American organizations, and publications detailing Palestine, Arab-Americans and the Middle East in General.

The collection dates from 1957 to 2007, and reflects Janice Terry's career interests, including documents relating to the Arab American Media Society, the Arab American National Museum, and other Arab-American organizations, as well as publications focusing on Palestine, Arab-Americans, and the Middle East in general. Additionally, the collection also includes audiotapes and videotapes.

Collection

Jean Ledwith King Oral History Collection, circa 1927-2011 (majority within 2011)

62.7 GB (online)

Online
Ann Arbor, Michigan attorney who spent her career fighting sex discrimination in education, sports, and politics. The collection contains oral history interviews, tribute statements, and photographs collected on the occasion of renaming the Women's Center of Southeastern Michigan after Jean Ledwith King and for the creation of a documentary, "The Power of One: Celebrating Jean Ledwith King," by John Owens.

The Jean Ledwith King Oral History Collection is composed of visual materials collected by John Owens to celebrate King's life and work in 2011, when the Women's Center of Southeast Michigan was renamed in King's honor.

Collection

John Percey Clock papers, 1918-2010

0.1 linear feet — 254 MB (4 digital files; online)

Online
Member of 337th Ambulance Company who served in the Allied intervention in Russia, 1918-1920, the "Polar Bear Expedition." Collection includes interview and miscellaneous papers.

This collection contains physical files as well as digital reproductions. In this finding aid, the collection has been arranged into one series, Papers.

This collection contains digitized sound recordings (Folder 1); the original sound recordings are owned by the donor. The digital items in this collection were digitized from originals by the individual donor before being received by the Bentley Historical Library. Preservation copies of these files with their original file names and CD-ROM file structures intact have been submitted to Deep Blue. Access copies of these digital files can be viewed by clicking on the links next to the individual folders in the Content List below.

Papers include an interview with transcription of John Percey Clock and Lawrence K. Montgomery of Charlevoix, Mich., who served in Company K, 339th Infantry, interviewed by John Robert Clock June 25, 1978. Also miscellaneous papers relating to Clock's service and activities of the Polar Bear Association.

Collection

John Tanton Papers, 1960-2007

25 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Environmental, population control, and immigration reform advocate; organization and litigation files relating to his various interests and activities; includes correspondence, legal documents, memos, topical files, and miscellaneous photographs.

The papers of Dr. John Tanton consist of materials documenting his work as a political and environmental activist from 1960 through the 2000s. The portion of the collection open without restriction is divided into the following series: Personal/Biographical; Population and Immigration Organizations and Issues; Conservation Organizations and Issues; Topical Files and Activities; Correspondence; Politics and Government; and Social Issues. The portion of the collection closed to research until 2035 includes the continuation of several series: Correspondence; Personal/Biographical; Population and Immigration Organizations and Issues; Conservation Organizations and Issues; and one new series, Public Interest Organizations and Issues.

Collection

Kellogg African American Health Care Project records, 1918-2008

5 linear feet — 128.96 MB (online) — 19 digital audiovisual files (online)

Online
Project funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to document the health care experiences of African Americans in southeastern Michigan consisting primarily of oral history interviews with African American health care practitioners and administrators covering the period 1940-1969; background files relating to the project, and oral history interview transcripts and audio recordings. Interviews discuss biographical details, desegregation efforts in Detroit area hospitals, and social conditions facing African Americans.

The records of the Kellogg African American Health Care Project have been kept in the original order in which they were received and have been divided into two chronological series: Phase I and Phase II, reflecting the two separate accessions that were received. The interviews in the Phase I series were conducted in 1997 and accessioned by the Bentley Historical Library in 1998, while the interviews in Phase II were conducted from 1997 through 1999 and accessioned by the library in 2000. Both of these series have a similar order and arrangement, differing mainly in who was interviewed; in addition, there is some updating of administrative papers in the 2000 accession. Both series are divided into two subseries: Administrative Files and Interviews. A description of the subseries for both of the series is below.

The Administrative Files subseries contains the organizational and background materials for the project including copies of the signed consent forms. This subseries gives several access tools for the interview portion of the collection as well as detailed information regarding the interview methodology. A Master Index and a Tape Index allow access by topic to both the transcripts and the tape-recorded material. Material related to follow-up research and further studies is also available.

The Interviews subseries contains the transcripts and tape recordings of the individual interviews. This subseries is organized alphabetically by the name of each person interviewed. A biographical sketch is provided for each individual and in some cases, copies of publications, photographs or computer-generated images of the participant, resumes, and news clippings are also included. In the Phase I series, the cassette tapes containing the interviews are included within each person's file. In the Phase II series, the tapes are stored separately.

List of Subjects Interviewed
  1. Anderson, William G.
  2. Ayala, Reginald
  3. Boddie, Arthur W.
  4. Brakefield-Caldwell, Wilma
  5. Bryant, Jr., Henry Clay
  6. Burton, Alice
  7. Cain, Waldo L.
  8. Collins, James W.
  9. Cooper, Claude H.
  10. Cooper, Vivienne B.
  11. Dillard, Gladys B.
  12. Gaines, Jr., George D.
  13. Gant, Leon
  14. Glass, Herman J.
  15. Goodwin, Della M.
  16. Harris, Joseph B.
  17. Iacobell, Frank P.
  18. Jefferson, Horace L.
  19. Jenkins, Sidney B.
  20. Johnson, Arthur L.
  21. Keith, Rachel B.
  22. Lawson, William E.
  23. Love, Josephine H.
  24. McCree, Suesetta
  25. Maben, Jr., Hayward C.
  26. Mason, Berna
  27. Mottley, Dorothy
  28. Northcross, Jr., David C.
  29. Northcross, Ophelia B.
  30. Peebles-Meyers, Marjorie
  31. Raiford, III, Frank P.
  32. Roberson, Jr., Rev. Garther
  33. Roberson, Rev. Dr. S.L.
  34. Smith, Elsie
  35. Starks, Fannie L.
  36. Swan, Lionel F.
  37. Tanner, Natalia M.
  38. Todd, Oretta Mae
  39. Webb, Irma Clara
  40. Whitten, Charles F.
  41. Wright, Charles H.
  42. Young, Watson
Collection

Laurie Palazzolo Horn Man research materials collection, 1913-2004 (majority within 1940s-1980s)

10 linear feet (in 13 boxes) — 1 oversize folder — 5 GB (online) — 62 digital audio files

Online
Research materials used by Laurie Palazzolo in writing of her book Horn Man: the Polish-American Musician in Twentieth-Century Detroit (Detroit, Mich.: American-Polish Music Society, 2003). The collection sheds light on the history of 20th century Polish-American musical landscape of greater Detroit.

The collection documents the history and repertoire of Polish folk music bands in the greater Detroit area as well as professional careers of musicians. The records date primarily from the 1940's until 1980s. Materials dated 1990s-2000s are primarily transcripts of interviews taken by Gomulka Palazzolo. Records include correspondence, business contracts, performance schedules and programs, sheet music, scanned copies of photographs, copies of Keynote magazine, biographical information and interviews of musicians, performance advertisements, and recordings. The records are arranged into five series as follows: Research files, Detroit Federation of Musicians, Sheet music, Sound recordings, and Visual materials.