Biographical is a small series of only ten folders. Included are vitae, letterheads of organizations with which Shelley worked, transcripts of class presentations, a biographical sketch, and several oral history transcripts. The biographical sketch prepared by Janet Reedy for Jane Fonda and Columbia Pictures in 1980 is especially broad, covering Shelley's life beginning with childhood.
Newspaper Clippings is also a small series, containing only nine folders. It is arranged chronologically and provides useful background information. Most articles are about World War I pacifist movement, Shelley's repatriation case, Peaceways, Shelley's Vietnam protests, or her trips abroad.
Correspondence is extensive (5.5 linear feet) and has been divided into two subseries based upon date of accessioning, 1974 and 1984. Both subseries are arranged chronologically. The two correspondence subseries were not interfiled because parts of the 1974 accession were microfilmed before the 1984 accession arrived. Although the accession groups overlap to a large extent, the 1974 accession is weighted before 1960 and the 1984 accession after 1950. The correspondence is notable for the letters exchanged with many leading pacifist, radical, religious, and political leaders. These include Jane Addams, Emily Balch, Emma Goldman, John Haynes Holmes, Jo Labadie, Scott Nearing, Alice Paul, Rosika Schwimmer, Upton Sinclair, Norman Thomas, Oswald Garrison Villard, and Wendell Willkie. Partial indices to correspondents have been prepared for both accession groups and are appended to this finding aid.
Topical Papers encompasses two linear feet of material and is arranged alphabetically. This series was created out of papers which were identifiable with a particular organization, event, or person. Within this series are files relating to Shelley's efforts to regain her citizenship after losing it in 1922. These files include legal documents, drafts of letters, notes used by Shelley in court, and her written accounts of the proceedings. Administrative papers of the Rebecca Shelley Repatriation Committee are also included. There are news bulletins, a 1936 financial report, and papers of W.W. Denton, chairman, and Eleanor Williams, secretary. Additional information on Shelley's repatriation can be found in the Correspondence and Papers Of Other Individuals series.
Also in this series, filed under Federal Writers Project, are files that document Shelley's work as a writer for the W.P.A.-sponsored project in the 1930s. The first three folders are made up primarily of writers' union records. The records of the American Federation of Government Employees #322 include registration rolls, minutes, and printed materials, all dated July 1937. United Office of Professional Workers of America, Local 26, replaced A.F.G.E. #322 in 1938 and these records include minutes and press releases. The last three folders in the subseries consist of Shelley's writings on the history of Germans in Michigan. In addition to descriptions of German immigrant influence, there is a long, personal narrative by Henry Becker titled, "My Story As An Immigrant."
The Fellowship of Reconciliation files within the Topical Papers series, though consisting only of three folders, is especially strong. As was noted in the scope and content note, many of the Michigan F.O.R.'s early records came into Shelley's possession when she became editor of the newsletter in 1958. Though much of this material was removed to the separate F.O.R. collection, additional materials were accessioned in 1984 and these remain with the Shelley papers. The subseries is arranged chronologically from 1944-1969. The strongest material is located in the first folder, which contains the contents of a loose-leaf binder dated 1944-1947. This binder includes minutes of the Michigan F.O.R. executive council and state meetings, attendance sheets, mailing lists, flyers, announcements, treasurer's reports, correspondence, and regional and state chairman's reports.
The Fanny Cole Lindsey file within the Topical Papers series contains papers, 1946-1947, relating to efforts by Shelley to stop an attempt to commit her friend Fanny Cole Lindsey to a mental hospital. The Angela Morgan file contains papers, 1957-1960, concerning Shelley's dispute with Frank and Esther Kamarck over placement of Angela Morgan's papers. Also in this file are poems and essays by Shelley written in tribute to Angela Morgan after Morgan's death. Most material relating to Morgan was removed to the separate Angela Morgan collection which was given by Shelley to the Michigan Historical Collections. The Peaceways Foundation files, 1959-1964, document Shelley's efforts to turn her Battle Creek farm into an international peace center. Included are minutes, by-laws, articles of incorporation, and an account book. There are also some papers from Peaceways International Indian Section, which Shelley established with J.N. Puri while traveling in the Far East.