Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

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Collection

J. Raleigh Nelson papers, 1893-1957

4.5 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Professor of engineering English, counselor to foreign students, and founder of the International Center of the University of Michigan; correspondence, subject files, writings, photographs, and family letters.

The J. Raleigh Nelson collection is comprised of the following series: Family papers; Correspondence, Subject files, Miscellaneous, and Photographs. The correspondence and subject files concern the University of Michigan School of Engineering, his work with foreign students, particularly those from Latin America, student dramatic productions for which Nelson was director, the proposed University College, the activities and affairs of class of 1894, and his work as chairman of Tappan Reunion Committee which attempted to bring alumni from the years of the Tappan Presidency to University for a reunion in June 1930. The collection also includes manuscripts of his writings, photographs, and letters received from his mother.

Collection

Julio Perazza visual materials, 1934-2004

6 linear feet (in 7 boxes) — 14.2 GB (online)

Online

The Julio Perazza collection includes three series: Visual, Printed, and Audiovisual. The collection offers significant visual documentation to researchers interested in artistic photography, the Detroit Latino community, Detroit Police Department, and the city of Detroit in general. Highlights of the collection include photographs of Latino community cultural events, daily police activities, and Perazza's "Demolished by Neglect" series, a photographic critique of Detroit's urban policies.

Collection

Law School (University of Michigan) records, 1852-2010

121 linear feet — 1 oversize volume — 4 oversize folders — 2 folders — 1 drawings (outsize; roll of architectural drawings and blueprints) — 2.1 GB (online) — 11 digital audio files — 1 digital video file

Online
Records of the Law School document the evolution of legal education at the University of Michigan as well as tenures of various deans and faculty. Documentation includes historical and class files; student organizations and activities; planning and construction of Law School buildings; information on William W. Cook and his bequest; topical files; deans' correspondence; reports and minutes. Also included are materials related to the Thomas M Cooley and William W. Cook lecture series and portraits of faculty and students, photographs of activities of the Judge Advocate General's School held at the Law School during World War II, the construction of the Law Quadrangle and Law Library addition, and student activities.

The Law School Records begin in 1852 and span the years through the end of the twentieth century. The records document the history of legal education at the University of Michigan, the administration of the Law School, and the lives of some of the scholars who have studied and taught there.

The physical arrangement of the records reflects the various accessions of material that have been received from the Law School over the years. This finding aid is structured to reflect the intellectual organization of the records - continuing series and like materials have been brought together regardless of when the records were transferred to the library. The Summary Contents List provides and overview of the organization of the records.

There are eight major series in the record group: Historical and Class Files (1865-1974); Deans of the Law School (1852-1999); Faculty Files (1859-1994); Student Files (1894-1996); Law Quadrangle and William W. Cook, (1919-1938); Law School Lecture Series; Committee of Visitors and Audio/Visual Materials.

Collection

Lewis G. Vander Velde Papers, 1855-1975 (majority within 1933-1968)

7.75 linear feet

Professor of history and director of Michigan Historical Collections of University of Michigan. Personal and professional correspondence; class notes and lectures; Michigan Historical Commission files; research material on Thomas M. Cooley; material concerning Azazels, University faculty club; letters written as student at University of Michigan, 1912-1913, and at Harvard; and letters written as instructor at Culver Military Academy, and at Teachers' College, St. Cloud, Minnesota in the 1920's; also photographs.

The papers of Lewis George Vander Velde date from 1855 to 1975 and comprise 7 and 3/4 linear feet of material. The collection is valuable for its documentation of the life of an historian and teacher. Vander Velde papers show a constant attention to, and interest in, Michigan local history. The Collection is arranged into seven series: Biographical Materials; Professional Files; University Class Notes and Lectures; Research Materials (Thomas M. Cooley); Family Papers; Personal Correspondence; and Miscellaneous.

Collection

Marion L. Burton Papers, 1895-1925 (majority within 1921-1925)

22.3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

College educator and president; president of University of Michigan, 1920-1925. Administrative correspondence, speeches, articles and scrapbooks detailing his years at University of Michigan; also his speech nominating Calvin Coolidge for the Presidency in 1924; and photographs.

The collection, although defined as personal papers of Marion Burton, is in fact the correspondence files of the office of president of the University of Michigan (1920-1925). Complementing these files are scattered personal items from the period prior to Burton's coming to Michigan. The collection has been arranged into the following series: Correspondence Files (President's Office); Miscellaneous President's Office Files; Personal Materials; Speeches and Articles; Scrapbooks/Newspaper clippings; University of Minnesota Topical Files; and Photographs.

Collection

Marjorie A. Blackistone and Horace Ferguson Bradfield papers, 1931-1978

0.2 linear feet — 1.6 GB (online)

Online
Marjorie Bradfield was the first African American librarian in Detroit, working for the Detroit Public Library and as head librarian for Detroit Public Schools. Horace Bradfield was an African American Physician at Providence and Hutzel hospitals, and out of offices on East Grand Boulevard in Detroit. The collection contains Marjorie Bradfield's autobiography, audio recordings of interviews with Horace Bradfield, and photographs of the Bradfields.

The Marjorie and Horace Bradfield papers consists of autobiographical material and photographs.

In her autobiography, Marjorie Bradfield describes her first library jobs, and the events that led her to the Detroit Public Library. It highlights Bradfield's professional accomplishments, as well as challenges she faced as an African American woman in the library field. The autobiography includes an appendix with citations of essays and articles written by Bradfield.

Also contained within the collection are recordings of a 1978 interview with Horace Bradfield, facilitated by his daughter, Trudy Bradfield Taliaferro. The first part of the interview, Bradfield discusses his time as a student at the University of Michigan between 1931 and 1935. Throughout the interview, Bradfield describes his experience as an African American student at the University of Michigan during the 1930s. The second part of the interview covers his struggles finding a job as an African American physician in Detroit following his graduation in 1935.

The collection includes a small number of photographs in the collection, primarily portraits of the Bradfields, and a photograph from their wedding day in 1938. One of these photographs is available online as a digital file.

Collection

Medical School (University of Michigan) records, 1850-2014

389.7 linear feet — 10 oversize volumes — 9 oversize folders — 3.3 GB (online)

Online
The University of Michigan's first professional school; the Medical School record group includes historical and administrative records related to the school and its faculty and administrators, 1850-2010.

The records of the Medical School span over 160 years, beginning in 1850 and continuing through 2010. They include 389.7 linear feet of material, 10 oversize volumes, 9 oversize folders of miscellaneous documents, and 3.3 GB of digital material stored online. The records include dean's correspondence and subject files, executive committee minutes, faculty minutes, annual reports of departments, school accreditation and review files, a variety of special reports and studies, and extensive files on the Replacement Hospital Project (Taubman Center). The record group also contains photo prints depicting faculty, students and facilities, including a remarkable series of photographs taken by J. Jefferson Gibson circa 1893.

The Medical School records have been organized into five subgroups: Dean's Records, Subordinate Administrative Officers, Faculty Records, Audio-Visual Materials, and Miscellaneous records. Within each subgroup there are a number of series and these series may be further subdivided to reflect the date span of the records received in each accession.

The Medical School records have been received in several accessions and the physical arrangement of the records (the number order of the boxes) reflects the various installments in which they were received. The accessions sometimes reflected the tenure of a particular dean or other administrator, but frequently appear to have been somewhat arbitrary transfers of files. Records from individual subgroups, series and subseries often continue across multiple accessions--sometimes with consecutive date ranges, but often with overlapping date spans.

In this finding aid the records are described in their intellectual order -- subgroups and series are brought together irrespective of the particular accession in which they were received. As a result, in the detailed contents listing the box number order will not always be consecutive.

Collection

Norman D. Schwartz scrapbook, 1940-1944 (majority within 1941-1943)

1 oversize volume — 0.3 linear feet (in 1 box)

A student at the University of Michigan, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (Class of 1943). Includes a World War II era scrapbook containing event programs, photographs, publications, various dance, identification, membership, report, and registration cards, reserve officer training ephemera, and other materials reflecting on U-M student life and activities. The collection also contains several loose World War II era U-M student publications, and college football programs.

Schwartz' unbound World War II era leather scrapbook has a silver embossed image of a WWII aircraft on the front cover. It contains University of Michigan dance, identification, registration, and report cards, as well as organizational membership cards to the Michigan Union and the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation. The scrapbook also contains commencement exercise and event programs including one from the University Musical Society advertising a solo performance by Marian Anderson; invitation(s) to join the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity (ZBT) and to attend their functions, as well as tickets, schedules, and programs pertaining to U-M football games. Of particular note are ZBT ephemera including a grey wool cap (possibly from Cap Night festivities) and a ZBT house key. Also to note are items pertaining to Schwartz's time spent in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), such as his 1942 training certificate, and ROTC insignia. In addition to these items is an August 1, 1943 WWII Food Rations Chart with point values for meat, fish, dairy, and fat; a page of humorous air raid instructions; and news clippings and newspapers, mostly focusing on WWII related events.

The scrapbook also contains issues of publications including The Michigan Daily, The East Wind, the Garg, The Baby Gargoyle, The Phi-Losopher , The Foo-Losopher of 1941, Phi Junior, and a ZBT newsletter that served as a substitute publication for The Phi-Losopher during the war. Other publications to note include Controversy: A Quarterly of Ethical, Philosophical, and Religious Opinion, and a Michiganetiquette handbook on how to conduct oneself socially on campus.

Included within the scrapbook are photographs of student organization groups such as the Student Religious Association (SRA) (each photograph includes an image of an African American member), Zeta Beta Tau fraternity brothers, various formal dances, and Angell Hall. The collection also contains several loose World War II era Michigan Daily newspapers;Garg magazines; and two football programs: Michigan vs. Ohio State andMichigan vs. Northwestern.

Collection

Office of Orientation (University of Michigan) records, 1925-1995 (majority within 1928-1946)

1.5 linear feet

University of Michigan office responsible for programs to help students adjust to college life. Records include reports from various university offices and organizations with responsibility for orientation; correspondence and pamphlet material; and printed works directed toward incoming students and their families.

The Office of Orientation records document, somewhat unevenly, the efforts of the administration of the University of Michigan to ease the transition from high school student to university undergraduate. These records consist of correspondence and published materials sent to incoming students and reports of the various offices involved in orientation. The strength of this record group derives from the face presented by the university in these first documents given to its students. It is illuminating to note what advice the university deems essential for new students, but the tone of presentation is more telling.

The Office of Orientation records span the years 1925-1990, but primarily cover the years 1928-1946. The records came to the library in good order and are organized into three groups: Administration, Orientation Period, and Printed Materials.

Researchers interested in visual images of the orientation process should consult the University of Michigan News and Information Services collection for negatives on freshman week in 1930 and orientation in the 1950s and 1960s.

Collection

Office of Undergraduate Admissions (University of Michigan) records, 1911-2022, undated (majority within 1965-2005)

17.85 linear feet (in 20 boxes) — 2 digital files (online)

Online
University of Michigan unit responsible for admitting applicants to the university's various undergraduate programs. Includes the correspondence and topical files of former Director Ted Spencer and Associate Director Marilyn McKinney, Board of Admissions meeting minutes, admissions guidelines and related material, minutes and data of the Enrollment Working Group, and audiovisual and photographic material. Also included are numerous publications produced or collected by the office, such as newsletters, reports, brochures, and procedures.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions (University of Michigan) records documents the activities of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, particularly its leadership and outreach activities. Material is dated from 1911-2022 and includes the correspondence and topical files of former Director Ted Spencer and Associate Director Marilyn McKinney, Board of Admissions meeting minutes, admissions guidelines and related material for various university units, minutes and data associated with the Enrollment Working Group, and audiovisual and photographic material. Also included are numerous publications produced or collected by the office, including newsletters, reports, brochures, administrative materials, applications, information on recruitment programs, transfer and application guides, recruiting videotapes, and admissions data reports aimed at prospective students, admitted students, transfer students, international students, high school guidance counselors, as well as faculty and staff.