Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

University of Michigan chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity for Black college students. The Epsilon chapter was founded in April 1909. History, administrative records, topical files, reports, and photographs largely relating to the chapter and activities of African American students at the University of Michigan. Also included is some material related to the chapter's 2009 centennial celebration.

The records of the Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha include correspondence, minutes, photographic material, publications, reports, and topical files.

The records—which document the activities and experiences of African Americans at the University of Michigan—also provides a rich source of information about the history, activities, and administration of the Epsilon Chapter, particularly during the 1920's, 1980's, and 1990's. Also documented is the chapter's centennial celebration in 2009.

Missionaries to China, 1920-1931; George T. Blydenburgh was the superintendent of a new hospital in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. Correspondence to family members describing daily life, family matters, and news of the hospital's progress; photographs, newspaper clippings, and glass lantern slides documenting the Blydenburgh family's experiences (bulk 1920-1931). Statements and descriptions of incidents related to military campaigns in Nanjing, Shanghai, and Nanchang. Writings and outlines about life in China (1921-1934). Annual reports from the Nanchang General Hospital (1924-1932). Publications from the Nanking [Nanjing] Language School (1921-1922). Scrolls of woodblock prints, calligraphy, and painting (circa 1920-1930).

Marion P. Blydenburgh lived in China from 1920-1931 with her husband, George T. Blydenburgh, who was the superintendent of the Nanchang General Hospital (also known as the Susan Toy Ensign Memorial Hospital) in Jiangxi Province through the Board of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This collection contains correspondence written to family members in the United States describing daily life, family matters, and news of the hospital's progress as well as photographs, newspaper clippings, and glass lantern slides documenting the Blydenburgh family's experiences.

First-hand accounts from George Blydenburgh, Marion Blydenburgh, and others of incidents related to military campaigns in Nanjing, Shanghai, and Nanchang are among materials in this collection. Also included are annual reports from the Nanchang General Hospital, publications from the Nanking [Nanjing] Language School, as well as scrolls of woodblock prints, calligraphy, and painting. The collection is arranged in five series with Visual Materials and Correspondence encompassing the majority of the collection followed by Writings, Nanchang Hospital Reports, and Published Materials.

Jack D. Cheesman, a resident of Ann Arbor, Mich., served in the V Amphibious Corps of the U.S. Marine Corps during the World War II. He fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima between February 19-March 26, 1945. The collection consists of photographs of American soldiers, a bound photograph album from Japanese island of Iwo Jima from 1945, a Japanese map of Iwo Jima, and some correspondence in Japanese with an enclosed photograph. The album includes photographs taken by Marine Corps photographer Douglas H. Page that were compiled into a photo album by Cheesman, entitled "Iwo Jima." The album has been scanned and is available online.

The collection consists of photographs of American soldiers, a bound photograph album from Japanese island of Iwo Jima from 1945, a Japanese map of Iwo Jima, and some letters in Japanese with an enclosed photograph. The photo album includes photographs taken by Marine Corps photographer Douglas H. Page that were compiled into a photo album by Cheesman, entitled "Iwo Jima." The album has been scanned and is available online. Loose photographs include portraits of Cheesman, group photos in front and inside of military buildings, military camps, and in the field. Miscellaneous items include Japanese art, a few newspaper clippings, and Cheesman's military ID.

Aviator and wife of the late Senator Philip A. Hart. Scrapbooks, photographs, clippings, and papers documenting her life as wife of Senator Philip A. Hart, her family life, and to a lesser extent, her aviation activities.

The Jane B. Hart papers include materials that document the life of Philip and Jane Hart, Philip Hart's political career, and Jane Hart's aviation and her role in the effort to include women in the space program. The collection consists of four series: Scrapbooks, Audiovisual, Personal Papers, and Inscribed Volumes.

University of Michigan alumnus (M.P.H., 1977) and associate professor of epidemiology (1977-1988) who, as a medical officer for the World Health Organization (WHO), helped eradicate smallpox, primarily from India. Includes WHO Global Smallpox Eradication Programme correspondence, reports, photographic material, publications, and posters; and collected publications.

The Lawrence Brilliant papers documents efforts to eradicate smallpox, primarily the joint World Health Organization (WHO) and Government of India smallpox eradication campaign of 1973-1975. Material is dated from approximately 1882-2022 (majority of material found within 1972-1979) and includes correspondence, various kinds of reports and publications, photograph albums and a scrapbook, posters, and microfilm.

Researchers should note that this collection contains images of individuals, including children, suffering from smallpox.

Muriel Webb Treman, a hobbyist photographer, and her husband, Robert "Bob" Treman, an American missionary, lived and worked in China in the 1920s. Muriel directed her interest in photography to taking pictures of their experience as missionaries. This collection is comprised of a photograph album documenting a family voyage from the United States to destinations in China and Japan. Also, family films and films depicting pottery making in China.

This collection, comprised of one photograph album and four 16 mm film reels, documents the voyage of Muriel Webb Treman, Robert "Bob" Treman, Lou and Ella Webb, and an unidentified young boy, possibly Muriel's brother, to China and Japan. Photographs in the album depict scenes of travel, landscapes, animals, and people taking part in daily activities, work, and ceremonies. Photographs also document Chinese refugees and instances of anti-Japanese demonstration, such as burning of Japanese goods. Destinations of the family trip, most likely, include the following places in China and Japan, respectively, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Nanking (now Nanjing), Nikko, Mt. Fuji, and Deer Park in Nara.

Muriel Webb Treman, most likely, took many of the photographs and assembled the album, totalling 96 pages of primarily silver gelatin prints. Extant captions appear in white pencil under photographs, and additional captions, provided by the donor on post-it notes, were photocopied and interleaved with the original album pages. The four 16 mm film reels contain six Lockwood and MacDonald family films. Films include: "Lockwood family movie" (1936), "Pottery making in China" (undated), "MacDonald" (c1925), "MacDonald" (1936), "MacDonald" (c1939), "MacDonald Pottery" (undated). Description of films is taken from reel cores and/or film containers.

Ocha Potter was a copper mining engineer and adventurer who also played an important role in the promotion of Keweenaw County, Michigan as a vacation destination during the 1930s and 1940s. Over the course of his career, Potter made important contributions to the field of copper mining, including the development of a safer, more efficient method of stoping and advocacy for the use of the lighter "one-man" alternative to the ubiquitous two-man drill. He also led and undertook many travels and expeditions both for work and leisure, which he documented in photographs. This collection contains three photo albums, documenting Potter's travels to Alaska (1905-1908), Africa and Europe (1930), and national parks in the American West (1923, 1934 and 1936). It also contains a manuscript of his autobiography, family correspondence about the manuscript, and newspaper clippings and ephemera related to Potter's life, career, and involvement with the Copper Country Vacationist League.

Collection contains three photo albums with photographs taken by Potter on his trips to Alaska, Africa, Europe, and the United States. Also newspaper clippings about Potter, ephemera related to Potter's involvement with the Copper Country Vacationist League, family correspondence, manuscript of Ocha's autobiography, and biographical information about him by his granddaughter Julia Fairchild.

Sophia Holley Ellis is a Black University of Michigan graduate (BA 1949, MS 1950, MA 1964) and Detroit, Michigan teacher. She primarily taught for Detroit Public Schools (DPS), notably as a German teacher at Martin Luther King, Jr. Senior High School. The collection includes biographical and graduation materials, clippings, an oral history, a photograph album, papers, publications, and scrapbooks.

The Sophia Holley Ellis papers primarily documents Ellis's academic life at the University of Michigan as well as her professional life. Included in this collection are biographical and graduation materials, clippings, an oral history, a photograph album, papers, publications, and several scrapbooks.

The collections' scrapbooks will be of particular interest to researchers. Her University of Michigan scrapbook contains diplomas; photographs of students, including Ellis and her classmates, as well as events on campus; notes describing events in Ellis's personal life; correspondence and other items related to Ellis's academic career; announcements and programs of plays, performances, and other campus events; issues of student and alum publications; greeting cards; and ephemera. Also included are details of her first date; sorority pledging material, including the historically Black sorority Delta Sigma Theta (DST); and photos from a trip to Washington, DC with classmates where Ellis was excluded from some venues because of racial segregation. Her International trip scrapbook documents her travels abroad, while the National Council for International Visitors Award scrapbook highlights her receipt of the Phyllis Layton Perry Educator of the Year award in 2006.

Researchers should also consult her oral history, which was captured on December 3, 2017. During this interview, Ellis—who spoke with Kyle Whitaker and Nancy Bryk—addressed a range of topics, including her family history, early life, and experiences at the University of Michigan.

Established in 1980 as part of the Center for Continuing Education of Women (now CEW+), the Women in Science and Engineering Program (WISE) has sought to increase the number of women who major in and seek advanced degrees in mathematics, science and technical fields. WISE has offered internships, resource guides, programming, and the Warner-Lambert lecture series towards this goal. In addition to supporting women at the collegiate level, WISE offers a variety of K-12 programs for students of any gender identity, although they are primarily aimed at women and girls. Records include correspondence and reports; physical and digital materials related to programming efforts, including the Warner-Lambert lecture series and Girls in Science and Engineering summer camp; funding proposals; research papers and talks by WISE staff members; and clippings and documents related to the establishment of WISE. Planning files for the Girls and Science and Technology (GASAT) IV Conference 1987, digital transcripts and recordings from an oral history project that sought to preserve the history of University of Michigan alumnae in the sciences and engineering, and material related to Smartgirl.com as well as the Women in Engineering Office are also included.

The WISE records (11.3 linear feet and digital files (online)) reflect the changing approaches that WISE took to encourage and support women in the sciences and engineering, as well as the changing organizational structure of the program. Specific formats include correspondence, digital photographs and videos, grant applications and program proposals, oral histories, research studies and talks, publications, reports, web archives, and background material on women and sciences at the University of Michigan. Prominently represented in the collection are WISE's various programming efforts, the Women's History in Michigan Science and Engineering Oral History Project, and the Women in Engineering Office (WIE).