Collections : [University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library]

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Collection

Robert J. Harris papers, circa 1959-1963 and 1969-1973

43.5 linear feet

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.

Collection

Ralph W. Muncy papers, circa 1830-1992

15.5 linear feet (in 16 boxes)

Socialist Labor Party member, later member of the League for Socialist Reconstruction. Correspondence, campaign files, audio-tapes, and other materials largely concerning his work with the State Central Committee of the Socialist Labor Party and Socialist Reconstruction, 1928-1992; and collected family materials including letters and memoirs of Levi Muncy, soldier during the Civil War; also photographs.

The Ralph Muncy collection consists primarily of papers relating to his interest in socialist political activities. A smaller portion of the collection documents the involvement of his wife, Lydia B. Muncy, in the socialist cause. Together they also collected materials relating to the history of their families (Muncy-Baird). Included is much original family material dating back into the nineteenth century. The Ralph Muncy papers have been arranged into the following series: Correspondence; Topical Files; and Ralph Muncy and Lydia Baird Muncy Personal.

Collection

Toward A Fair Michigan records, 2005-2008

1 linear foot — 10.6 GB

Online
501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization formed in February 2005 to open dialogue and increase citizen participation in the debate surrounding Proposal 2, the ballot initiative that ended affirmative action programs in Michigan and was passed in November 2006; records include correspondence, press coverage, organizational files, and materials relating to public events.

The Toward A Fair Michigan records reflect that organization's efforts to promote dialogue on the controversial ballot initiative Proposal 2 (the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative) and encourage public participation in the political process. In addition to illustrating essential steps in the formation and management of 501©(3) nonprofit groups, the records will be especially valuable to those interested in the public debate surrounding Proposal 2 and the issue of affirmative action in the United States in the early 21st century. The collection is comprised of three series: Administrative Files, Program Director's Files, and Organizational Activities.

Collection

Valde Garcia papers, 1999-2010

13 linear feet — 6.4 GB (online)

Online
Michigan Republican State Senator; the collection relates primarily to proposed legislation, other files document issues of concern to the Hispanic community of Michigan; also issues relating to Michigan veterans.

The Papers of Valde Garcia contains documents that span his entire career as a Michigan State Senator from 2001 to 2010. A small number of records date from Garcia's time as a Michigan State Representative before entering the senate. The collection is arranged into three series: Bills and Legislation, Hispanic Issues, and Personal Records.

Collection

Michigan Political History Society oral history collection, 1995-2013

122 GB (online)

Online

The collection consists of digital materials for 28 oral history interviews with state political figures, most of them active in the period of 1950 to 2000. The interviews are conducted by individuals knowledgeable about state political history. The content of the interviews are both about the individual's career and about the issues and personalities of the time. These interviews are with political and labor leaders, past members of the state legislature, a Detroit mayor, and a member of the state constitutional convention of 1961-1962.

Collection

Jennifer Granholm papers, 1992-2010 (majority within 2003-2010)

225 linear feet (in 227 boxes) — 1 oversize folder — 7 oversize items — 260 GB

Online
Granholm was the Democratic governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2010. Records are primarily arranged by office of origin and staff member and document Granholm's service as governor. The series in the collection are: Transition 2002, Legal Division, Policy Division, Executive Office, Communications Division, Economic Recovery Office, Northern Michigan Office, Other Executive Divisions, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Office of the First Gentleman, Archived Websites, and Memorabilia. The collection includes paper, digital materials, and audio-visual materials. Extensively documented topics include economic diversification, renewable energy, environmental issues, education, Michigan's response to the 2008 financial crisis, the Governor's Hearing on the Removal of Kwame Kilpatrick from the office of Mayor of Detroit, and Michigan soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Jennifer Granholm papers document the activities, policies, and accomplishments of the executive branch of Michigan's state government from 2003 to 2010. The collection consists of twelve series and is primarily arranged according to office of origin. The series are: Transition 2002, Legal Division, Policy Division, Executive Office, Communications Division, Economic Recovery Office, Northern Michigan Office, Other Executive Divisions, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Office of the First Gentleman, Archived Websites, and Memorabilia. While the collection documents the full range of Governor Granholm's activities, it is especially strong in documenting the governor's efforts in the areas of economic diversification, renewable energy, education, and Michigan's response to the 2008 financial crisis. Also of note are the documents pertaining to the Governor's Hearing on the Removal of Kwame Kilpatrick from the office of Mayor of Detroit, the Legal Division files on the state's interactions with Michigan's Native American tribes, the administration's work on behalf of the University of Michigan in the Gratz and Grutter affirmative action lawsuits, the administration's response to Proposal 2, and dossiers kept on each Michigan soldier killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Collection

Elizabeth S. Brater papers, 1989-2010 (majority within 1996-2010)

19.75 linear feet (in 20 boxes) — 1 oversize folder

Member of the Michigan State Senate, House of Representatives, Ann Arbor City Council, and Mayor of Ann Arbor; records include handwritten notes on policy issues, collected research materials, and news clippings related to Brater’s service as a member of the Michigan State Senate and House of Representatives.

The Brater collection consists of eight series: Environment and Natural Resources, Mental Health, Judiciary, Other Policy Files, Legislative Files, Subject Files, News Clippings, and Other Office Files. The collection's strength lies in its documentation of Brater's activities in the areas of environmental issues and mental illness treatment programs as a member of the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives.

Collection

Committee For Responsible Tax Reform records, 1989

1 linear foot

Michigan citizens group established in support of proposal B relating to the reform of public school financing on the 1989 state ballot. Reports, surveys, minutes, correspondence, and audio and visual materials.

The records of CRTR consist of one foot of materials from the campaign office dating from 1989. The materials consist of reports, surveys, minutes, and correspondence. Most of the reports and surveys were not produced by CRTR but by other organizations that were concerned about school taxes. These records were kept by CRTR mostly as reference materials to assist them in their campaign. The correspondence and committee records were produced by CRTR but are very few in number.

This record group also contains some audio and visual materials. The cassette tape found in the folder labeled program tape is part of a slide presentation made by CRTR. The visual material is a video cassette of a commercial opposing the passage of Proposal B and is narrated by L. Brooks Patterson.

Collection

John J. H. Schwarz Papers, 1987-2002 (majority within 1999-2002)

8 linear feet — 3.1 MB (online)

Republican state senator from Battle Creek, Michigan, 1987-2002; legislative files documenting issues of higher education appropriations, state health concerns, and expenditure of monies received from lawsuit against the tobacco companies.

The papers represent a fragment of this state senator's career as much material had been discarded prior to the library's contact with the Schwarz office. Although some of the materials (mainly clippings) date to the period when he first came to Lansing in the mid-1980s, the great bulk of the collection dates from Schwarz's last term in office, 1999-2002. As might be expected, the files pertain to Schwarz's activities in the state senate, especially on issues of appropriations to the state's colleges and universities. There is also substantial information relating to current state health issues. Not present in these papers are materials relating to his activities outside the senate, campaigns for office, or his candidacy for governor in 2002. There are also no photographs or other visual materials in the collection.

The papers have been brought together in the following series: Higher Education; Health Issues; Other Issues; and Miscellaneous.

Collection

Peoples Campaign for Choice Records, 1987-1988

3 linear feet

Organization formed to defeat 1988 Michigan ballot proposal prohibiting Medicaid funding for abortions. Campaign records, executive committee files, financial records, media materials, and consultants files; also photographs.

The Peoples Campaign for Choice record group covers the years 1987-1988 and divides into five series: Campaign Records, Executive Committee Records, Financial Records, Media Records, Consultants Records. The PCC record group can be useful for researchers of several topics of interest including reproductive freedom history, women's issues, health care policies, and campaign planning/organization.

Collection

Citizens for Traditional Values Records, 1984-2000 (majority within 1986-1992)

6 linear feet

The Citizens for Traditional Values record group documents four separate but interrelated organizations having many of the same members and sharing a strategy aimed at uniting conservative Christians on behalf of similarly-minded candidates for office. These organizations were The Freedom Council (1985-1987), the Michigan Committee for Freedom (1986-1992), the MCFF offshoot organization Celebrate Life (1989-1992), and the Citizens for Traditional Values (1991-present). The record group contains a variety of documentary materials such as office files, correspondence, budgets, reports, fundraising information, draft materials, and news clippings.

The record group contains materials from The Michigan Freedom Council (MFC -1985-1987), the Michigan Committee for Freedom (MCFF -- 1986-1992), the MCFF offshoot organization Celebrate Life (1989-1992), and the Council for Traditional Values (1991-present), conservative Christian political activist groups working in Michigan. The records contains a variety of documentary materials such as office files, correspondence, budgets, reports, fundraising information, draft materials, and news clippings to give a well-rounded view of the conservative Christian political scene in Michigan.

Collection

Kendall Wingrove papers, 1983-2005 (majority within 1987-1999)

7 linear feet

Press official for Michigan House of Representatives Republican Policy Committee; reports of Committee Task Forces, press clippings, research materials, internal memorandum, and documents related to the career of Speaker Paul Hillegonds.

The documents contained in this collection focus primarily on the setting of policy agendas by the Michigan Republican Party in the State House of Representatives in the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. The record group has been divided into four series: House Republican Policy Committee Task Forces, Materials Compiled as Communications Specialist of the House Republican Communications Section, Materials Compiled as Director House Republican Communications Services and Miscellaneous.

Collection

Gary Shrewsbury photographs, 1983-1990

2 linear feet

The collection consists of photographic negatives of Governor Blanchard while attending public functions, giving speeches, signing bills, and at various other meetings, receptions, political gatherings, and fund raisers.

Collection

Promote Michigan Committee Records, 1983-1984

0.4 linear feet

Organization formed in opposition to the Voter's Choice Amendment, an amendment to the state constitution to roll back taxes to their 1980-1981 level. Scattered minutes, agendas, mailings, and collected material relating to the Committee's political activities.

The Promote Michigan Committee collection provides some insight into how a professionally organized, well-funded, broadly based campaign successfully opposed tax reduction. The records are arranged alphabetically by type of material. The agendas, minutes, and correspondence provide some sense of the day-to-day functioning of the committee, but they are neither detailed nor complete. The background materials and press releases discuss the issues involved in tax reduction and amply delineate various groups' arguments against Proposal C.

Of special interest is Ray Brennan's review of the Committee's actions, "Keep our Comeback Alive." This is a report on the campaign's context, strategy, literature, finances., and results, and it is helpful in capturing the essence of the 1984 campaign. To gain the broader historical perspective on efforts to combat tax reduction in Michigan, one should also consult the League of Women Voters records and the Charlotte Capp collection.

Collection

Dan L. DeGrow Papers, 1981-2002

4 linear feet

The Daniel L. DeGrow collection documents his activities as Republican member of the Michigan legislature from 1981 to 2002. The collection includes hardbound volumes of press releases issued by DeGrow and colleagues, columns written by DeGrow for various publications, and press clips from publications across the state.

Records in this collection document Dan DeGrow's tenure in the Michigan legislature, spanning from 1981 to 2002. The collection consists of four series of hardbound volumes: Press Releases, Columns, Press Clips, and Miscellaneous.

Collection

Lawrence M. Glazer papers, 1981-1987

1 linear foot

Former Michigan Assistant Attorney General, chief legal adviser to Michigan Governor James Blanchard, and later State Circuit Judge. The collection documents his time as an advisor and legal counsel for James Blanchard during his gubernatorial campaign and as governor.

The Papers of Lawrence Glazer document his work with James Blanchard as candidate for office and as a member of his staff as special counsel and chief legal advisor. The collection is arranged into two series: Chronological, and 1982 Gubernatorial Campaign materials.

Collection

G. Mennen Williams and Nancy Quirk Williams oral history project, 1980-1982

3 linear feet — 52 digital audio files

Online
Oral history project of the Michigan Historical Collection to document politics and government during the gubernatorial administration of G. Mennen Williams; transcripts of interviews, sound cassettes, and administrative records of the project.

This is a collection of oral history tapes and interviews relating to the history of the gubernatorial administration of G. Mennen Williams. Interviews have been arranged alphabetically and include Paul Adams, Michael Berry, Geraldine N. Bledsoe, Ernest R. Boehm, Raymond Clevenger, John D. Dingell, Tom Downs, Alfred B. Fitt, Hicks and Martha Griffiths, Adelaide Hart, Jane B. Hart, Erma Henderson, Stella Lecznar, Wade H. McCree, Louis Mezzano, Victor G. Reuther, Horace Sheffield, Otis Smith, Paul W. Weber, Nancy (Quirk) Williams, Joseph L. Wisniewski, and Leonard Woodcock. Project files also include questionnaires (but not interviews) from other individuals associated with G. Mennen Williams.

Collection

Lana Pollack Papers, 1979-2010

19 linear feet

Lana Pollack served as state senator for Michigan's Eighteenth District from 1982 to 1994. The collection documents her legislative and political activities and include subject files, campaign materials, and audio-visual materials.

The Lana Pollack collection documents diverse aspects of Pollack's legislative and political activities. The papers have been divided into seven series: Ann Arbor Board of Education; Michigan Senate; Campaigns; Photographs; Audiotapes; Videotapes; and Other Projects.

Collection

Robert Tisch Papers, 1978-1997 (majority within 1980-1982)

3 linear feet — 1 oversize folder

Property tax reform advocate in the late 1970s and early 1980s from Laingsburg, Mich.; 1982 Michigan gubernatorial candidate, and founder of the Tisch Independent Citizens Party. Tisch was also active in the U.S. Taxpayers Party. Material pertaining primarily to Tisch's three campaigns to lower property taxes, as well as later political activities. Political files series consists of clippings, constituent correspondence, campaign business (official correspondence, minutes, ballot proposals, speeches), press releases, political cartoons, and copies of the Michigan Taxpayer, the newsletter of the U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan.

The Robert Tisch Papers consist primarily of material pertaining to Tisch's three campaigns to lower property taxes, his 1982 gubernatorial campaign, and his later political activities with the Tisch Independent Citizens Party (which later became the Michigan Taxpayers Party, a political affiliate of the U.S. Taxpayers Party). The Tisch Papers are made up of two series: Political files and Memorabilia. The collection is composed primarily of press coverage of the Tisch campaigns in the form of newspaper clippings, kept by a clippings service and by Tisch himself. Within files, material is arranged chronologically. Items for which a date could not be ascertained are in the back section of each folder or are in separate folders labeled "undated."

Collection

Contemporary History Project (The New Left in Ann Arbor, Mich.) transcripts of oral interviews, 1978-1979

1 linear foot

Transcripts of oral history project relating to the political and social protests of the 1950s and 1960s, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The collection consists of fifty transcripts of oral history interviews relating to political and social protests in Ann Arbor in the 1950s and 1960s. Topics of discussion in the interview include civil rights demonstrations, draft resistance and other opposition to the Vietnam War, feminism and the equal rights movement, alternative lifestyles, gay rights, the drug culture, student rights, and the influence of rock and roll music. The interviewees include Arnie Bachner, Larry Behnke, Frithjof Bergmann, Walter Blackwell, Barry Bluestone, Elise Boulding, Bunyan Bryant, Eric Chester, Tania Cordes, Jerry DeGrieck, Peter Dilorenzi, Richard Feldman, Miriam Flacks, Richard Flacks, Robben Wright Fleming, Madison James Foster, Barbara Fuller, Todd Gitlin, Gail Grigsby, Barbara Haber, William Haber, Tom Hayden, Larry Hunter, Edward James, Sharon Jeffrey, Ken Kelley, Walter Krasny, Diane Kohn, Howard Kohn, John Leggett, Richard Mann, Robert Meeropol, James G. Mellen, Fredrick L. Miller, Martha Prescod Norman, Beth Oglesby, Carl Oglesby, Marge Piercy, Genie Plamondon, Paul Potter, Randy Potts, Nais Raulet, Robert Ross, Ezra Rowry, Gayle Rubin, John Sinclair, Leni Sinclair, Eda Spielman, Milton Taube, Nancy Wechsler, and Marilyn Young.