Michael A. Gorman papers, 1920-1958

Summary

Creator:

Gorman, Michael (Michael Arthur), 1892-1958

Abstract:

Editor of the Flint Journal. Correspondence and topical files concerning his newspaper career in Flint, the role of the Flint Journal in the development of the city, the General Motors sit-down strike of 1937, and the position of automobile industry to Flint; and photographs.

Extent:

2 linear feet

Language:

English

Call Number:

85238 Aa 2

Authors:

Finding aid created by Michigan Historical Collections staff

Background

Scope and Content:

The Gorman papers reflect the relationship between a local newspaper and the community it served. The collection comprises two linear feet of correspondence and topical files from the period 1928 to 1958. Representing but a selection of Gorman's original files, this remnant appears to include correspondence which Gorman considered to be most important. The correspondence includes substantive material as well as letters of autograph value only.

Biographical / Historical:

Michael Gorman was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1892. He began his journalism career in 1910 as a sports and general reporter for the Saginaw Courier-Herald. This association was rather brief and in 1913, Gorman became the telegram editor of the Saginaw News. During what was to become a fifteen year association with the Saginaw newspaper, Gorman rose to become city editor and finally managing editor from 1916 until 1928 when he moved to Flint.

As editor of the Flint Journal from 1928 until his death in October 1958, Gorman was witness to the development of Flint as an important center for the automobile industry. He reported on the influence of General Motors in the city's affairs, the turmoil arising out of the sit-down strike of 1937, and the city's burgeoning cultural and civic programs, i.e., the Flint Redevelopment Project, the Flint Institute of Arts, and the Flint campus of the University of Michigan.

Acquisition Information:

The collection was the gift of the Flint Journal through editorial librarian William D. Chase (donor no. 3907 ) and came to the library in 1977.

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Related Material

The researcher should note that additional Michael Gorman papers have been given to the Alfred P. Sloan Museum in Flint, Michigan.

Selective Index to Correspondents

Allen, Fred, 1894-1956.	Jan. 17, 1952
Cobo, Albert Eugene, 1893-1957.	Dec. 2, 1955
Curtice, Harlow Herbert, 1893-1962.	Oct. 24, 1929; Oct. 28, 1953; Nov. 12, 1953; Dec. 28, 1953; and topical file folder
Dewey, Thomas E. (Thomas Edward), 1902-1971.	Dec. 20, 1948; Nov. 10, 1950; Mar. 20, 1952; Apr. 12, 1952; July 12, 1952; July 29, 1952; Nov. 10, 1952; July 3, 1953; Nov. 19, 1953; Nov. 23, 1953; Dec. 17, 1954
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969.	Apr.28, 1953; May 19, 1953; Mar. 15, 1954; Aug. 25, 1954; Sept. 7, 1955; Nov. 9, 1956; Mar. 24, 1958
Fitzgerald, Frank Dwight, 1885-1939.	Sept. 30, 1936
Ford, Gerald R., 1913-	June 13, 1953; June 18, 1953; Apr. 21, 1955
Gerber, Daniel F 1898-1974.	Apr. 29, 1955
Godfrey, Arthur, 1903-1983.	Mar. 23, 1953; Apr. 3, 1953
Harmon, Tom, 1919-1990.	Nov. 13, 1946; Nov. 7, 1947; Dec. 12, 1950; Dec. 21, 1950; Dec. 5, 1955
Hatcher, Harlan Henthorne, 1898-	Apr. 10, 1952; June 7, 1952; June 3, 1955
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964.	Nov. 26, 1948; Apr. 29, 1950; July 6, 1955
Keller, Helen Adams, 1880-1968.	Dec. 18, 1940
Knudsen, William S., 1879-1948.	Nov. 8, 1934; June 18, 1945
Landers, Ann	Apr. 13, 1957; June 17, 1957; June 21, 1957; June 25, 1957
Montgomery, George, 1916-	Sept. 9, 1955; Sept. 15, 1955; Sept. 22, 1955
Mott, Charles Stewart, 1875-1973.	Sept. 8, 1920; Mar. 3, 1942; Oct. 2, 1954
Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-	Aug. 26, 1953; Sept. 29, 1953; Apr. 28, 1954; July 10, 1954; July 22, 1954; Apr. 1, 1955; Apr. 7, 1955; Sept. 2, 1955; Sept. 9, 1955; Oct. 6, 1955; Nov. 2, 1955; Mar. 25, 1957; Apr. 1, 1957
Pollock, James Kerr, 1898-.	Aug. 7, 1937; Aug. 14, 1937; Dec. 1, 1957
Pound, Arthur, 1884-1966.	In Topical File folder
Rockwell, Norman, 1894-1978	Sept. 3, 1948
Shore, Dinah, 1917-1994.	Feb. 4, 1956
Sigler, Kim, b. 1894	Nov. 17, 1948
Sloan, Alfred P. (Alfred Pritchard), 1875-1966.	Folders 84, 85
Summerfield, Arthur Ellsworth, 1899-1972.	In Topical File folder
Thomas, Lowell, 1892-	Dec. 15, 1955; Apr. 3, 1957
Vandenberg, Arthur H. (Arthur Hendrick), 1884-1951.	Feb. 4, 1937; Jan. 6, 1943; Sept. 27, 1943; May 4, 1949; May 5, 1949; May 12, 1949; Oct. 31, 1949; May 23, 1950; Mar. 14, 1952; Aug. 9, 1952; Aug. 15, 1952; Jan. 14, 1953; Dec. 24, 1957
Williams, G. Mennen, 1911-	Apr. 29, 1953
Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944.

Selective Index to Subjects

African Americans--Michigan	Letters January 26, 1937 and undated relating to the use of the word "negress" in the Flint Journal; also letter of John Gibson, June 24, 1938, relating to the treatment of Joe Louis in the newspapers
China--History--1949-1976	Letter from Gene (last name unknown) relating to post-war China, October 18, 1948
General Motors Corporation	Letters of January 31, 1939; also correspondence with Hugh Munro, May 11, 1955, May 17, 1955, and Sept. 2, 1955; also General Motors "sit-down strike" files
Jews--Michigan	Letter of Rabbi Elmer Berger, February 21, 1938, concerning newspaper coverage of a Nazi speaker in Flint.
Michigan. Civil Service Study Commission	Letters of James K. Pollock, Aug. 7, 1937, Aug. 14, 1937, and Dec. 1, 1957
Sit-down strikes--Michigan--Flint	Letter of Senator Arthur Vandenberg, February 9, 1937; also General Motors "sit-down strike" files

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

African Americans -- Michigan.
Automobile industry and trade -- Michigan -- Flint.
Communism.
Depressions -- 1929 -- Michigan -- Flint.
Flint journal.
Jews -- Michigan.
Journalists -- Michigan -- Flint.
American newspapers -- Michigan -- Flint.
Presidents -- United States -- Election -- 1956.
Sit-down strikes -- Michigan -- Flint.
General Motors Corporation Sit-Down Strike, 1936-1937.
Celebrations.
Costumes.

Formats:

Photographs.

Names:

General Motors Corporation.
Michigan. Civil Service Study Commission.
Saginaw High School (Saginaw, Mich.)
Gorman, Michael A. (Michael Arthur), 1892-1958.
Allen, Fred, 1894-1956.
Cobo, Albert E. (Albert Eugene), 1893-1957.
Curtice, Harlow Herbert, 1893-1962.
Dewey, Thomas E. (Thomas Edmund), 1902-1971.
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969.
Fitzgerald, Frank Dwight, 1885-1939.
Ford, Gerald R., 1913-2006.
Gerber, Daniel F., 1898-1974.
Godfrey, Arthur, 1903-1983.
Harmon, Tom, 1919-1990.
Hatcher, Harlan, 1898-1998.
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964.
Keller, Helen, 1880-1968.
Knudsen, William S., 1879-1948.
Landers, Ann.
Montgomery, George, 1916-2000.
Mott, Charles Stewart, 1875-1973.
Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994.
Pollock, James K. (James Kerr), 1898-1968.
Pound, Arthur, 1884-1966.
Rockwell, Norman, 1894-1978.
Shore, Dinah, 1917-1994.
Sigler, Kim, 1894-
Sloan, Alfred P. (Alfred Pritchard), 1875-1966.
Summerfield, Arthur Ellsworth, 1899-1972.
Thomas, Lowell, 1892-1981.
Vandenberg, Arthur H. (Arthur Hendrick), 1884-1951.
Williams, G. Mennen, 1911-1988.
Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944.

Places:

China -- History -- Republic, 1912-1949.
Flint (Mich.)
Flint (Mich.) -- History.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1946-1960.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1953-1961.
China -- History -- 1949-1976.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1951-
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1837-1950.
Flint (Mich.)