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Executive Director of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs from 1973-1977. The Commission was a result of the 1956 Governor's Study Commission on Indian Problems and worked within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on policies to improve the health, housing, education and economic status of Native Americans in Michigan. Hillman also worked with the North American Indian Association. Reports, policy proposals, directories, newsletters, memoranda from the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs, as well as Hillman's personal correspondence and other papers.

The James R. Hillman papers contain materials related to the work of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs. It also contains additional materials related to Hillman, including his work with the North American Indian Association and his personal writings as a history student at Wayne State University. The materials illustrate the workings of the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs, the issues faced by Native Americans in Michigan during this period, and Hillman's personal leadership and work on these concerns.

The collection has been divided into two series:

The Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs series contains records related to the work of the Commission between 1970-1981. Materials include directories of Native American organizations and individuals, reports, office files, meeting information and other internal documents. This series also contains Hillman's theoretical proposal for the creation of an independent organization to distribute funds that would be run entirely by Native Americans.

The James R. Hillman materials series contains the personal papers of Hillman and documents activities related to his work with the Detroit chapter of the North American Indian Association. The series includes papers written by Hillman as a history student at Wayne State University and materials he compiled for reference, as well as his personal correspondence and clippings. Materials related to the North American Indian Association include office files, study reports and other reference documents.

Collector of Cross Village, Michigan materials. Collection consists of business records for a general store, land patents made to members of the Native American community, a letter and photograph of Catholic priest N. Louis Sifferath, a panorama of the village waterfront, and a plat map of Cross Village Township.

The Mary Shurtleff collection consists of documents and images relating to Cross Village and its inhabitants. The collection is arranged in 3 series: Business records, Other collected documents, and Visual materials.