Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Attorney, student and investigator of different cults and cult activities, primarily focusing on the New Age Movement; published writings, collected topical files; cassette sound recordings, and videotapes.

The Constance Cumbey collection consists of her publications, research files and other material related to her investigations of alleged connections between New Age cults and the New World Order and various politicians, organizations and institutions. There are also files documenting her interest in Christian fundamentalism and prominent evangelists and their ties to cults. The collection has been divided into three series: Topical Files (three subseries), Personal Files, and Other Media.

International non-profit organization established in 1987 to recognize innovations in the construction industry that improve the quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness of construction. Administrative records, including minutes and reports; planning documents; nomination files for the NOVA Award; and visual material relating to award ceremonies.

The Construction Innovation Forum record group is comprised of 5 linear feet, including administrative materials and in-depth information about the various types of innovation CIF recognizes. The records are arranged into five series: Administration, Development, NOVA Awards, Visual Materials, Public Relations/Published Material, and miscellaneous Working Files. Together the records give insight about the state of, concerns about, and development in the construction industry at the end of the twentieth-century.

Cornelia G. Kennedy, "First Lady of the Michigan Judiciary," was the first woman appointed to the federal bench in Michigan and the first woman to become a chief judge for a United States District Court. Judge Kennedy was nominated to U.S. District Court in 1970 and to U.S. Circuit Court (Federal Appeals Court) in 1979. Although never actually nominated to the Supreme Court, she was mentioned in connection with vacancies there during the administrations of three different U.S. Presidents. In addition to her court-related duties, the collection reflects Kennedy's service to the Judicial Conference of the U.S. and the Federal Judicial Center as well as the American Bar Association and other professional organizations. The collection also contains materials from Wayne County Circuit Court. This finding aid includes a Summary Contents List and expanded Scope and Content Note to provide a brief summary of the Federal Court System's structure and history as well as notes on some of the organizations comprising the context of a legal career that spanned more than half a century.

The Cornelia G. Kennedy papers span Kennedy's career as a judge, beginning with her election to Wayne County Circuit Court (the 3rd Judicial Circuit of Michigan, which includes the City of Detroit) in 1966. The bulk of the collection documents her service as an active federal judge, from the time of her appointment to Federal District Court in 1970 through her confirmation and service in Federal Appeals Court, until she assumed senior federal judge status in 1999.

The collection is valuable not only in that it documents the professional and some of the private life of a federal judge who achieved many 'firsts' as a woman but also for the collection's contribution to an understanding of the federal court system and the evolution of judicial ethical standards and practices, especially with respect to financial disclosure, confidentiality, and conflicts of interest.

To some extent, the history of information and communications technology during the period is also represented in the collection through its examples of different correspondence media in different eras and through materials pertaining to the advent of computer-aided legal research in court libraries and the use of new technologies in federal courtrooms.

Inevitably, Judge Kennedy's long family history in the practice of law coincided with significant milestones in American history and in the development of judicial administration organizations and policy. Kennedy's father had graduated from law school and begun his legal career with World War I on the horizon. Kennedy graduated from law school as the national economy was transforming itself after World War II, and as the federal court system was beginning a new era in judicial practice and in judicial review of administration.

Description of Series Content

This collection is divided into ten series: Personal and Biographical; Correspondence; Speeches and Writings; Wayne County Circuit Court; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan; U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit; Judicial Conference of the United States; Federal Judicial Center; American Bar Association; and Other Professional Organizations and Meetings.

Of necessity, some series include materials of multiple formats, located together primarily with regard to conceptual content rather than format and some types of materials are found in multiple series. For example, correspondence can be found not only in the Correspondence series but also within court-related series to the extent that it relates to matters addressed there.

Throughout the collection, Judge Kennedy's own phrasing is used whenever possible to describe file folder contents. Some examples of her original file folders of administrative papers and office files also contain handwritten notes and have been retained in the collection to provide additional information to the researcher. These original folder labels and notations also help to illustrate the use of different terminology in different time frames.

Gay rights activist of Ferndale, Mich. Files relating to his involvement with AIDS prevention and gay rights; include minutes of the board and other materials of the Midwest AIDS Prevention Project, 1988-2001; files accumulated from his work with the Michigan Organization for Human Rights; and miscellanea relating to his campaigns for Ferndale City Council in 1995, 1999, 2003, for mayor in 2007, and for Oakland County Commissioner in 2010.

The Craig Covey collection is arranged into two series: Topical Files and Audio-Visual Materials. The topical files are especially important for their documentation of his work in various education and prevention study programs. These include the Midwest AIDS Prevention Project (MAPP for short) and the Michigan AIDS High Risk Education program. Also of important are files documenting his participation in the political and civic life of Ferndale, both within the gay community and as a member of the city council and as Mayor. There is documentation of his campaign for office and his participation in a gay and lesbian neighborhood association, Friends and Neighbors of Ferndale (FANS for short). The Audio-Visual series is comprised mainly of video recordings relating to gay pride ceremonies and activities.

Films, DVD use copies and streaming files the construction of the Great Lakes freighter Edmund Fitzgerald, the launchings of the freighters Herbert C. Jackson and Arthur B. Homer, and the maiden voyage of the Homer. These freighters were the last ships built by Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, Michigan

The Spooner collection consists of two motion pictures (with DVD use copy) of the construction of the Great Lakes freighter Edmund Fitzgerald, the launchings of the freighters Herbert C. Jackson and Arthur B. Homer, and the maiden voyage of the Homer. These freighters were the last ships built by Great Lakes Engineering Works of River Rouge, Michigan.

In 2009 a preservation tape, DVD use copy and master and streaming digital files of the motion pictures were made.

Cynthia L. Muñoz is a Detroit native and U-M Dearborn graduate who identifies as half Mexican/Spanish and half Polish/Hungarian. Materials in this collection include Muñoz's unpublished memoir, Vietnam War period correspondence from her uncle Ed Ryba, and family interviews, and photographs.

The Cynthia L. Muñoz papers are comprised of materials related to the Muñoz and Ryba families. The collection includes correspondence from Muñoz's uncle "Ed" Ryba over the course of his time in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, an unpublished memoir written by Muñoz as part of the Immigrant Memoir Project, and family interviews and photographs.

Ann Arbor, Michigan resident and businessman with strong interest in local history. Collection includes video featuring interviews with residents and other historical footage of landmarks and events in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and the hamlet of Dixboro as well as collected papers and records related to Ann Arbor High School and Dixboro United Methodist Church.

Most of the collection consists of digitized film footage and digital video relating to Ann Arbor and Michigan history. A small portion of the collection also includes biographical and genealogical material.

The records in this collection relate to the Peter Sparling Dance Company (PSDC) and the Dance Gallery Studio. The Dance Gallery Foundation was founded in 1984 and sponsored three professional modern dance companies during its history; J Parker Copley Dance Company (1986-1990); Dance Gallery with Alan Lommasson (1990-1991) and the Peter Sparling Dance Company with Artistic Director Peter Sparling (1993-2008). The Dance Gallery Studio closed its doors in August 2008. The records in this collection date primarily from 1993, although the collection does also include some material from Sparling's work in the 1980s. Records in the collection include promotional materials, photographs, video tapes, class schedules, administrative files, programs, production notes, and press clippings.

The Dance gallery Foundation records measure 5.25 linear feet, including oversized materials, and date from, 1980 to 2008, with the majority of the records from the period 1993-2007. The records are primarily comprised of press clippings, programs, promotional materials, administrative files, photographs, and video, and are arranged into ten series: Administrative; Bookings; Dance Gallery Studio; Development; Press Clippings; Productions; Programs; Promotional Materials; Audio-Visual Materials, and Website.

Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan is a student organization that raises funding for rehabilitation programs at children's hospitals of southeast Michigan. The collection includes yearbooks, scrapbooks, videos, and event guides.

The records of Dance Marathon have been divided into three series: Event Material, Audiovisual Material, and Scrapbooks. These records document the organization's activities from 1998 to 2010.

The Event Material series consists of a dance captain's manual, news articles, promotional materials, sponsor packets, visitor's guides, and yearbooks. These files give a sense of Dance Marathon's mission and how its events were organized.

The Audiovisual Material series includes digital materials and a VHS tape documenting its activities.

The Scrapbook series contains scrapbooks filled with photos of the events, student volunteers, and children with whom the organization has worked.

Press Secretary and Director of Communications for the City of Detroit and Mayor Kenneth Cockrel, Jr. following the resignation of Kwame Kilpatrick. Includes records of finances, official communications and news stories, and Cockrel's work on various initiatives such as support for the auto industry, Cobo Center expansion, Angel's Night, and Detroit's bond ratings.

Digital records were created and/or maintained by Cherrin during his tenure as Press Secretary and Communications Director for Detroit. The Daniel Cherrin papers document the City of Detroit's and Mayor Ken Cockrel's efforts to move beyond the resignation of Kwame Kilpatrick and promote civic and fiscal responsibility while navigating the larger financial crisis of 2008.