Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Dr. Richard E. Smith is a Black University of Michigan alum, member of the Epsilon chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, a historically Black fraternity, and an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) who worked to enhance prenatal care for teenage and young mothers. He was also involved in efforts to commemorate the role that Detroit and its institutions played in the Underground Railroad. Includes award information, biographical and genealogical material, correspondence, publications, a scrapbook, and topical files.

The Richard E. Smith papers document Smith's personal and professional activities, particularly his involvement in the Epsilon chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, professional career as an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN), and efforts to commemorate the role that Detroit and its institutions played in the Underground Railroad. Material is dated from 1969-2022 and includes award information, biographical and genealogical material about his family, historical material about St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, correspondence relating to his professional career and activities, publications, an Alpha Phi Alpha scrapbook, and topical files.

James F. Coakley was an assistant professor in the Department of Speech at the University of Michigan from 1966 to1971. Focusing mainly in theatre and literary interpretation, he was responsible for directing and managing many of the plays that were put on by the University Players during his time at the University of Michigan. Notable productions include The Homecoming, Lysistrata, Much Ado About Nothing, and Arthur Miller's After the Fall. Includes photographs from a 1967 production of After the Fall where Arthur Miller was present. Also scrapbooks, photos, and slides from other productions by the University of Michigan's University Players during 1966-1971.

The collection provides some documentation of plays Coakley staged with the University Players, notably Arthur Millers After the Fall, and lecture notes for courses he taught. The collection is organized into three series: "After the Fall", Photographic Slides, Speech 230 "The Arts of the Theatre" and Scrapbooks.

Ann Arbor, Michigan civil rights activist known for his confrontational style and advocate of black economic development, welfare rights, affordable housing and other causes, and a founder of the Washtenaw County Black Economic Development League. Papers, primarily documenting his work with the WCBEDL, include correspondence, scrapbooks, trial transcripts, and photographs.

The Charles Thomas, Jr. papers relate mainly to the activities of WCBEDL, the organization founded by Thomas in 1970. Materials in the collection include scrapbooks, trial transcripts, newsclippings, photographs, and correspondence, (including four letters from Coretta Scott King located in the WCBEDL correspondence file).

Project Community at the University of Michigan is one of the nation's oldest continuously-running community service-learning courses. Started by student activists in 1961, Project Community grew out of the Civil Rights movement to promote undergraduate students' service learning and social activism in education, criminal justice, public health, and social work. The collection includes project records, oral histories, scrapbooks, photographs, publications, and a program history.

The collection includes project records

Organization dedicated to furthering "the art of playing the Hammered Dulcimer" founded in 1963 by Elgia C. Hickok in Michigan. Records include correspondence, minutes, newsletters, programs, event flyers, and oral histories, sound recordings of interviews and meetings, and photographs.

The Original Dulcimer Players Club records document the group's organization and activities from its founding in 1963. The records are arranged into six series: Administrative materials, Publications and events, Articles and newspaper clippings, Miscellaneous, Visual materials, and Audio materials.

Swedish-American cultural organization; scrapbooks, topical files, and photographs.

The record group is comprised of scrapbooks, topical files, and photographs. The scrapbooks consist of clippings, programs, press releases and related material. Among the topical files is material relating to the visit to Detroit in 1976 of Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden. The photographs are of the mortgage-burning at Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church, Detroit, and photos of the visit of King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden to the General Motors Proving Ground, Milford, Michigan.

Organization established in Ypsilanti, Michigan for the performance of Greek theater productions. Papers of theater president, Clara Owens; administrative files including minutes, correspondence, and financial records, printed material, press releases, clippings and scrapbooks, and photographs.

The records of the Ypsilanti Greek Theater (0.5 linear feet and 3 volumes) range in dates from 1963 to 1967. The bulk of the information covers only the years 1965-1967 and provides minimal information from 1963 and 1964. Really the only materials that cover the earlier years of the organization are the scrapbooks.

The collection consists mainly of the papers of former president of the organization, Mrs. Clara Owens. Included are administrative records, photographs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and printed materials. The papers have been divided into five series: Personal Records, Clara Owens; Administrative; and Publicity and Other Related Materials.

Interracial, non-profit, non-partisan community service organization in Battle Creek, Michigan (formerly Battle Creek Area Urban League) founded in 1966 and affiliated with the National Urban League. Series include: History, Administration, Correspondence, Reports, Meetings, Programs, Community Memberships, Public Relations, Events, Battle Creek Area Urban League Guild, and Visual, Audio, and Digital Materials.

The records of the Southwestern Michigan Urban League span the years 1962-2007. The League's mission of providing and administering services for minorities and the disadvantaged, as well as internal operations, are reflected in the records, which consist mainly of administrative and program materials, correspondence, minutes, reports and proposals. While the years represented incorporate tenures of numerous executive directors, the records most fully document leadership provided by Benjamin Richmond (1982-1987) and Joyce Brown (1988-1992).

The Southwestern Michigan Urban League Records are relevant to the study of the administration of African American social service organizations, especially Urban Leagues, within the context of particular communities. The collection is strong in illuminating the effectiveness of collaboration -- civic, business and educational groups addressing interrelated community issues. Both Richmond and Brown maintained high profiles on numerous boards and committees working in Battle Creek to solve social problems and promote economic development.

James Karoub was an Arab American lobbyist and legislator from Highland Park, Michigan. Most notably, he served in the Michigan House of Representatives and founded the successful Michigan lobbying firm, Karoub Associates. Karoub represented Wayne County's 15 District, 1963-1964 and 1965-1968 The Karoub papers consist of newspaper clippings and articles, correspondence, some campaign material, scrapbooks, photographs, and a sound recording.

The Karoub papers consist mainly of newspaper clippings and articles covering various aspects of Karoub's political career. Other papers include correspondence, some campaign material, documents from the Michigan Supreme Court case covering the mayoral controversy, and a few notes and speeches.

The collection also includes a scrapbook, photographs, and a sound recording. The photographs include portraits of Karoub, photographs of Karoub at different events, as well as photos of Karoub with various political figures, including G. Mennen Williams, George Romney, James J. Blanchard, and Hubert Humphrey. Karoub's farewell speech for mayor is also included in this collection.

Pastor of the Grand Rapids A. M. E. First Community Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, city commissioner, acting mayor, and later mayor, 1971-1975. Mayoralty files, political materials, scrapbooks of career activities, and photographs.

The Lyman Parks collection consists mainly of files created and accumulated during the period of his mayoralty. Included are files on the many federal, state and local conferences that he attended. The correspondence files consist mainly of congratulatory letters. The best documentation of Parks' mayoralty will be found in his speech file and in the several scrapbooks from the years when he was in office. The collection also includes photographs, both portraits and photographs of public activities.

The collection has been arranged into the following series: Biographical and Personal; Correspondence; Mayoralty Files; A.M.E. Activities; Photographs; and Scrapbooks.