Collections

University of Michigan graduate, Class of 1929, member of the Delta Chi fraternity, the Aces Club and the Trojan Club. Scrapbook contains photographs and ephemera documenting Fisher's immediate family, friends, travels, and time as a student. Images include depictions of fraternity and social club activities, graduation exercises, major sporting events, and the University of Michigan's Frosh-Soph Spring and Fall Games.

The Sol Fisher scrapbook contains mostly identified photographs documenting Fisher's immediate family, friends, his travels, and University of Michigan campus life. This includes the 1926 and 1927 Frosh-Soph Spring and Fall Games, and the 1925 Western Conference championship football game between the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Other photographs document Delta Chi fraternity, Aces Club and Trojan Club activities, and the 1927 and 1929 Senior Swing Out exercises. Of note, are three Delta Chi photographs in which chapter members are posing with a small boy of color (identity unknown). A caption above one of the photographs states "Delta Chi-Help."

Also found within the scrapbook are photographs depicting several buildings on U-M campus, including the Law School, Martha Cook building, College of Engineering, and the Student Union building. Other photographs show prominent structures in Detroit, Mich., including the former General Motors Headquarters building and the construction of the Detroit-Windsor Bridge (the Ambassador Bridge).

Remaining materials within the scrapbook include commencement programs and ephemera, publications, and correspondence. Of note is what appears to be a 1928 prank letter addressed to Fisher in which a woman by the name of Sunshine is asking for his hand in marriage.

Public health physician, specialist in public health economics, professor in the University of Michigan School of Public Health, director of its Bureau of Public Health Economics, and chairman of the Department of Medical Care Organization. Personal materials, correspondence, topical files, academic materials, and audio tapes relating to his professional and academic career.

The papers of Solomon J. Axelrod came to the Bentley Library in four major accessions: 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1996. Each of these accessions were processed separately by different individuals. In 2008 the materials were re-processed and the different accessions were interfiled.

Axelrod's collection is divided into six series: Personal Materials, Topical / Organizational Files, Academic Materials, Correspondence, Farm Labor Health Program, and Audio Materials.

The Nordkap Lodge No. 5-378, is the Detroit branch of the Sons of Norway national organization. The organization preserves and promotes Norwegian heritage and culture through festivals, events, and presentations. The records of the organization primarily contain minutes from general and board meetings, but also includes budget reports, issues of the Nordkapen newsletter, and correspondence.

The Nordkap Lodge No. 5-378 records contain material related to the Detroit lodge of the Sons of Norway organization. The collection primarily consists of a run of minutes for the general and board meetings between 1968 to 2017. These minutes are arranged chronologically within binders, and also include financial reports, newsletters, and transcriptions of presentations. Another set of binders offer a mostly complete run of the "Nordkapen" newsletter from the 2010s, as well as budgets for the organization. Two folders contain correspondence between the Nordkap Lodge and national office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and between board members. Also, a folder with newspaper clippings that document the reach of the organization within the Detroit community.

Sophia Holley Ellis is a Black University of Michigan graduate (BA 1949, MS 1950, MA 1964) and Detroit, Michigan teacher. She primarily taught for Detroit Public Schools (DPS), notably as a German teacher at Martin Luther King, Jr. Senior High School. The collection includes biographical and graduation materials, clippings, an oral history, a photograph album, papers, publications, and scrapbooks.

The Sophia Holley Ellis papers primarily documents Ellis's academic life at the University of Michigan as well as her professional life. Included in this collection are biographical and graduation materials, clippings, an oral history, a photograph album, papers, publications, and several scrapbooks.

The collections' scrapbooks will be of particular interest to researchers. Her University of Michigan scrapbook contains diplomas; photographs of students, including Ellis and her classmates, as well as events on campus; notes describing events in Ellis's personal life; correspondence and other items related to Ellis's academic career; announcements and programs of plays, performances, and other campus events; issues of student and alum publications; greeting cards; and ephemera. Also included are details of her first date; sorority pledging material, including the historically Black sorority Delta Sigma Theta (DST); and photos from a trip to Washington, DC with classmates where Ellis was excluded from some venues because of racial segregation. Her International trip scrapbook documents her travels abroad, while the National Council for International Visitors Award scrapbook highlights her receipt of the Phyllis Layton Perry Educator of the Year award in 2006.

Researchers should also consult her oral history, which was captured on December 3, 2017. During this interview, Ellis—who spoke with Kyle Whitaker and Nancy Bryk—addressed a range of topics, including her family history, early life, and experiences at the University of Michigan.

Ann Arbor, Michigan, women's center founded in 1977 to help women cope with adjusting to life after widowhood or divorce. Soundings' main focus has been on job readiness, but it has offered workshops, programs, and individual and group counseling sessions on such topics as reentry into the workforce, assertiveness training, personal finance, and physical and emotional health and well-being. Records include background and history materials, administration, board of directors, grants and fundraising activities, finances, and audiovisual materials. Also includes the records of the Domestic Violence Project, Inc., a separate agency.

The collection is divided into seven series: Background, Administrative, Domestic Violence Project, Board of Directors, Grants and Fundraising, Financial, and Audiovisual. Types of materials and information include audio tapes and videotapes (primarily featuring interviews with Soundings staff and members), albums, photographs, slides, clippings, newsletters, annual reports, program files, client letters, workshop files, board meeting minutes, financial summaries, funding information and grant proposals, background and miscellaneous information, and files from the Domestic Violence Project, Inc. (a related agency).

The mission of the South Africa Initiatives Office at the University of Michigan is to understand and assist South Africa's continued transformation into a democratic and equitable society through scholarship, outreach initiatives and collaboration. The record group of the South Africa Initiatives Office includes manuscript and printed records related to the University of Michigan's effort to foster cultural exchange with South African universities in the years immediately following the end of apartheid. Administrative records of the SAIO directors and staff, grant program applications, promotional materials, and materials gathered from South African universities are included. In addition, there is some material related to the career of Kenneth Lutterman, Assistant Dean for Research, School of Social Work, who had research interests in South Africa.

The record group of the South Africa Initiatives Office (SAIO) includes manuscript and printed records related to the University of Michigan's effort to foster cultural exchange with South African universities in the years immediately following the end of apartheid. Administrative records of the SAIO directors and staff, grant program applications, promotional materials, and materials gathered from South African universities are included. In addition, there is some material related to the career of Kenneth Lutterman, Assistant Dean for Research, School of Social Work, who had research interests in South Africa.

The Mellon Program, 1997-1999 series, the Moody Exchange Program, 1998-2000 series, and SAIO Research Grants, 1997-2007 series relate to the core function of SAIO: administering and distributing grants to support research of Michigan faculty and students in South Africa, and to bring South African scholars to Ann Arbor to further their research. Within all three of these fund granting series, files are arranged alphabetically. Files have been weeded to remove any confidential student information such as transcripts, recommendations or social security numbers. What remains are the research proposals, and reports, program evaluations, and lists of recipients.

Records of the Southeastern Michigan Jazz Association (SEMJA) covering the history and activities of the organization.

The Southeastern Michigan Jazz Association records collection includes organization's administrative and financial files and visual material related to various SEMJA programs and activities.

Publications of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments covering various issues facing Southeast Michigan.

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments publication collection includes both serial and non-serial publications covering various issues facing Southeast Michigan. Also included are publications of a predecessor organization, the Detroit Metropolitan Area Regional Planning Commission. Topics covered include regional planning, population and housing, transportation, water quality, recreation and parks development, and land use planning.

Ethnic study program founded in part by Otto Feinstein of Wayne State University and concerned with making available and using ethnic materials in the classroom. Minutes, staff reports, and subject files; contain files relating to a survey in 1972 of ethnic radio programs, an ethnic survey of East Detroit School District residents in 1974, and materials relating to a teachers training program.

The records of the South East Michigan Regional Ethnic Heritage Study Center (1970-1976) measure three feet and are arranged alphabetically by subject or title. In addition to information about the body's goals and organization, found primarily in the minutes of the Board of Directors and the Executive Council as well as in the staff reports, there is detailed information about specific projects. Most interesting are a survey of ethnic radio programs (1972), an ethnic survey of East Detroit School District residents (1974) and manuscripts prepared for the TTT program (1972).

Interracial, non-profit, non-partisan community service organization in Battle Creek, Michigan (formerly Battle Creek Area Urban League) founded in 1966 and affiliated with the National Urban League. Series include: History, Administration, Correspondence, Reports, Meetings, Programs, Community Memberships, Public Relations, Events, Battle Creek Area Urban League Guild, and Visual, Audio, and Digital Materials.

The records of the Southwestern Michigan Urban League span the years 1962-2007. The League's mission of providing and administering services for minorities and the disadvantaged, as well as internal operations, are reflected in the records, which consist mainly of administrative and program materials, correspondence, minutes, reports and proposals. While the years represented incorporate tenures of numerous executive directors, the records most fully document leadership provided by Benjamin Richmond (1982-1987) and Joyce Brown (1988-1992).

The Southwestern Michigan Urban League Records are relevant to the study of the administration of African American social service organizations, especially Urban Leagues, within the context of particular communities. The collection is strong in illuminating the effectiveness of collaboration -- civic, business and educational groups addressing interrelated community issues. Both Richmond and Brown maintained high profiles on numerous boards and committees working in Battle Creek to solve social problems and promote economic development.