Collections

The United States Presidents collection contains materials authored by, signed by, or related to presidents of the United States of America.

The United States Presidents collection consists of single items authored by, signed by, or related to presidents of the United States of America. Including personal correspondence, land deeds, official appointments, and various manuscript and printed documents, the United States Presidents collection touches broadly on presidential politics, social activity, and national affairs from 1784 to 1992.

• A manuscript description of an exchange between a Revolutionary War soldier and Andrew Jackson in 1832, in which Jackson was presented with a candle originally used to commemorate General Charles Cornwallis's defeat, intending that he should now use it to honor the victory at the Battle of New Orleans
• A handwritten eulogy for President Benjamin Henry Harrison, describing his life, career, and character
• Three letters by William Howard Taft, documenting the legal dispute over whiskey production in 1909
• Nine letters written by Herbert Hoover to Wilson W. Mills between 1923 and 1952, relating to Michigan banks, and state and national politics
• Eight Associated Press teletypes reporting on the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963

The United States Presidents collection contains a diverse array of materials that reflects broadly on personal, presidential, and national affairs. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for more information about each item.

Artificially constructed collection of University of Michigan videotapes received from a variety of sources. Videotapes, mainly in VHS format, of University of Michigan events, symposiums, panel discussions, interviews, outreach and public service announcements as well as network news depictions featuring the University of Michigan. Includes Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy ground breaking and naming, Arthur Miller symposium, MLK Day events, and Y2K public service announcements.

Artificially constructed collection of University of Michigan videotapes received from a variety of sources. Videotapes, mainly in VHS format, of University of Michigan events, symposiums, panel discussions, interviews, outreach and public service announcements as well as network news depictions featuring the University of Michigan. Includes Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy ground breaking and naming, Arthur Miller symposium, MLK Day events, and Y2K public service announcements. The videos are arranged into of four series: Events, Interviews, Outreach and U-M Produced Videos, and News Depictions of U-M. Unless otherwise indicated, all items are in the VHS format.

Correspondence of club secretary-treasurer T. Maxwell Collier relating to club functions, dinners and reunions; also mailings, minutes, newsletters, press releases, and photographs.

The collection is divided into five series: Papers, Topical File, Correspondence, Photographs and Sound Recordings. The papers series (1 linear foot) consists of minutes, reports, incoming and outgoing correspondence of the secretary/treasurer, copies of the club president's correspondence, and correspondence from the secretary of the Alumni Association. Although the items date from 1924 to 1985, most of the material covers the 1950s, when Mr. Collier was most active. The papers were received in considerable disarray, and were rearranged chronologically. The topical files were retained in their original form. Some overlap may exist between the two types of files. The Correspondence series is largely of copies of correspondence from Alumni Association General Director T. Hawley Tapping to alumni and others in the Washington D.C. area and correspondence with representatives of other U-M alumni clubs. The Photographs series consists of prints from the Congressional Dinner hosted by the club. The audiotapes include talks by U-M President Robben Fleming and Gerald Ford at the club's annual dinner.

Wyandotte, Michigan, businesswoman, chairwoman of the President's Task Force on Women's Rights and Responsibilities during the Nixon Administration, later deputy assistant secretary of state for public affairs. Papers and photographs relating to her interest in women's rights, the equal rights amendment, Republican Party politics, the activities of International Women's Year, 1975, and the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs.

The Virginia R. Allan Papers have been grouped both according to types of documents covering her entire career (biographical, correspondence, writings and speeches, etc.). These are followed by three series of files pertaining to Allan's activities and organizational affiliations within specific time periods in her career. These chronological divisions (with some overlapping of dates) are 1950s-1972, 1971-1977, and 1977-1985. Although each of these chronological series documents Allan's life-long interest in women's issues, there are obvious highlights to each. The first chronological series - 1950s-1972, is especially solid with material relating to Allan's association with the Michigan and the National Federation of Business and Professional Women, and her service on the President's Task Force on Women's Rights and Responsibilities. The second of these series - 1971-1977 - obviously documents Allan's work at the State Department, her role with the International Women's Year and her participation in the Mexico City Conference in 1975. And the third chronological series - 1977-1985 - contain files pertaining to her participation in the second and third United Nations International Women's Conferences and to her faculty responsibilities at George Washington University.

The collection concludes with a small series -- Groups and Activities -- which contains both material dated after 1985 as well as earlier materials, a series of Personal materials, and a series of Audio-Visual materials that includes photographs, a videotape, and sound recordings.

Democratic Congressman from Michigan's 15th District, 1964-1994, member of the Labor and Education Committee his entire career - becoming chairman in 1991, also chairman of Post Office and Civil Service Committee; papers include subject files, legislative and committee files, campaign material, photographs and videotapes.

The William D. Ford papers are divided into seven series: Subject Files, Legislative Files, Committee Files, Campaign Material, Public Relations, Photographs, and Audiovisual Material. The collection is primarily an office file which documents Ford's activities as a local representative, federal legislator and politician. Constituents' opinions and concerns are represented as well, particularly in the correspondence and questionnaire response files.

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.