Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

Ann Arbor, Michigan, archivist; collected materials relating to local Democratic Party politics; student papers; and photographs.

The McNitt papers consist of materials collected relating to his interest in, and activities with, the local Democratic Party. Included are newsletters, leaflets, campaign materials and newspaper clippings concerning state, county, and municipal politics, particularly the presidential campaigns of Eugene McCarthy in 1968 and George McGovern in 1972, Ann Arbor City Council and school board elections; the New Democratic Coalition of Michigan; the Human Rights Party; the state presidential primary in 1972; Democratic state conventions; state elections in 1968, 1970, 1972, and 1974; and the election campaign of Congressman Richard F. VanderVeen in 1974.

The collection also includes copies of student papers on topics relating to Michigan history. The titles of these papers are "The Library Extension Movement in Grand Rapids", "Journalism and the Republican Party of Michigan, 1890-1920; A Study of the Michigan Republican Newspaper Association", and "Peace and American Society : Rebecca Shelley and the Peace Movement."

Finally, there are many hundreds of photographs taken by McNitt relating to the construction of the Bentley Library and to the accessioning of the papers of Gerald R. Ford.

Democratic US Congressman from the 2nd Michigan Congressional District, 1965-1967. Campaign files, 1964, 1966 and 1968; files documenting his activities as member of the 89th Congress; subject files detailing views of constituents on such subjects as the Vietnam War, civil rights, Lyndon Johnson's anti-poverty program, and other issues of the 1960s; also clippings, photographs, and audio tapes.

The Weston E. Vivian papers document his three campaigns for the US House of Representatives in 1964, 1966, and 1968, and his service in the 89th Congress, 1965-1966. The papers include correspondence, speeches, campaign literature, texts of radio broadcasts and campaign advertisements, press releases and newsletters, newspaper clippings, photographs, and sound and video recordings. Also included in the Vivian papers are three University of Michigan student papers on the 1966 and 1968 Vivian congressional campaigns.

The collection is divided into several distinct series: biographical material, congressional campaigns, congressional service, subject files, clippings, photographs, and sound recordings and motion picture tapes. The additional material received in 1990 is located in boxes 11-12, but has been integrated into the appropriate place in the contents listing.

Ann Arbor, Michigan attorney, member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents, 1975-1990, and Democratic Party official. Papers document his activities as regent and in local and state-wide Democratic Party affairs.

The papers of Thomas Roach measure fifty-four linear feet and date from 1970 to 2002. These records document the public career of Roach as a Regent of the University of Michigan and a longtime active participant in the Michigan Democratic Party. The papers are divided into three series: Democratic Party Files, Board of Regents Files and Post-Regental Activities.

Grand Rapids, Michigan family, involved in furniture making and other businesses, also active in local state and Republican Party politics and businessmen's associations. Papers include family papers and correspondence, business records, scrapbooks and visual materials.

The Sligh family collection consists of the personal and business papers of the four generations of Slighs mentioned in the biographical introduction: James W. Sligh, Charles R. Sligh, Charles R. Sligh, Jr., and Robert L. Sligh. Although there is some overlap, the files have been arranged into seven series, one for each of these three Slighs, one for the Sligh Furniture Company and related family businesses, and one each for Newspaper clippings and Scrapbooks, and Visual Materials.

Regent of the University of Michigan; public figure concerned with national and international women's rights issues. Files relating to her public life, especially her interest in the University of Michigan, notably during the presidency of Harold T. Shapiro, the work of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, and state and local Democratic Party matters.

The papers of Sarah Goddard Power are arranged into twelve series: Personal/Biographical, Writings, Speeches, Contributions, Trips, Political Activities, Conferences, Philip H. Power, Board of Regents, Photographs, Engagements, and U.S. National Commission for UNESCO. These series cover the period 1953-1987.

Professor of political science at the University of Michigan and Democratic mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan for one term, 1957-1959. The collection consists primarily of Eldersveld's mayoralty subject files. There are also some of his writings, as well as notes, course materials, correspondence, departmental memos, reports, biographical material, and recordings of interviews.

The Samuel J. Eldersveld Papers document Eldersveld's academic career, his mayoralty, and personal background. The collection consists primarily of Eldersveld's writings, notes, course materials, correspondence, departmental memos, reports, oral history project, biographical material and mayoralty subject files. The collection contains the following series: Mayoralty Files, 1957-1959, Ann Arbor City Council, Personal/Biographical, Academic Career and Sound Recordings.

Member of the Ann Arbor (Mich.) City Council, 1964-1968, and chairman of Ann Arbor Housing Commission, 1969-1970. Correspondence, speeches, resolutions, and newspaper clippings concerning his activities on the city council and his interest in public housing.

The Robert P. Weeks Papers consist exclusively of those papers created while serving on the Ann Arbor city council and with the Ann Arbor Housing Commission. The original order and subject listings of Weeks' topical file has been retained. The papers document both Weeks' activities and interests as a council person and chair of the Ann Arbor Housing Commission as well as the politics of the time. Notable is the information contained in the papers about the debate over the building and location of subsidized housing in Ann Arbor. Weeks died on June 17, 1986.

Democratic mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan; University of Michigan law school professor. Papers include mayoralty files relating to city politics and municipal issues, including the affairs of the police department and other city departments, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, the Model Cities Program, and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG); and scattered law school course and research materials, ca. 1959-ca. 1963

The Robert J. Harris papers document his term as mayor of Ann Arbor, 1979-1983 and a professor at the University of Michigan law School, 1959-1974. Papers include mayoralty files relating to city politics and municipal issues, including the affairs of the police department and other city departments, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, the Model Cities Program, and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG); and scattered law school course and research materials, ca. 1959-ca. 1963.

The papers are organized into eight series: Alphabetical Files (boxes 1-9); Model Cities; Boards and Commissions File, City Departments File, Council Activities File, Miscellaneous Files, Newspaper clipping File, and Law School.

Ann Arbor, Michigan political activist and campaign worker on behalf of Human Rights Party and Democratic Party candidates. Files and photographs (circa 1970-1980) relating to the Fred Harris presidential campaign in 1976, the Ed Pierce campaigns for Michigan state office in 1976, 1978, 1980 and 1982, and the Zolton Ferency campaign for governor of Michigan in 1978.

The papers of Robert Alexander span the years 1970-1982. The primary focus of the collection is on Alexander's political activities in both the Human Rights Party and the Democratic Party. There is no personal material, nor is there documentation of Alexander's career. Even within the sections on his political activities there is only a moderate amount specifically relating to Alexander. The papers give a view of local politics, in which Alexander was a relatively minor figure.

Grand Rapids, Michigan attorney, state attorney general, 1937-1938, associate justice and chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Michigan. Correspondence, newspaper clippings, and business and professional papers, including material, 1950-1968, relating to his interest in Ferris State College, Big Rapids, Michigan; and photographs.

The Starr collection consists primarily of correspondence from 1936 to 1947. These correspondence files are arranged alphabetically with the bulk of them dated 1946 to 1947, the period when Starr was first appointed U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Michigan. A smaller portion of the collection relates to Starr's association with Ferris State College, to his various other organization interests, and to his real estate and business activities.