Mayor of Birmingham, Michigan, 1970-1971, and Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives, 1974-1984. Biographical material, speeches and articles, subject files relating to her public service activities, and photographs.
The papers of Ruth Braden McNamee cover her career in politics from 1964 to 1984 and include four inches of material. Most of the material is from her service as mayor of Birmingham (1970-1971) and as a state representative from Oakland County (1974-1984). The papers have been divided into four series: Biographical/Personal, Speeches and articles, Birmingham city government, and Michigan house of representatives. There are also several photographs which remain with the papers in a separate folder at the end of the collection.
Most of the collection is made up of legislative newsletters, press releases, and speeches given by McNamee. In the last two series, there are also interesting files on: Birmingham's fair housing ordinance, the first passed by referendum in a white community in the country; the 1970 Birmingham-Detroit mayoral exchange between McNamee and Roman Gribbs; the August 1970 riot in Birmingham which led McNamee to declare a state of emergency, impose a dusk to dawn curfew, prohibit public gatherings, and contemplate requesting National Guard forces; the Precious Metals Recovery Act; her 1984 vote against a US constitutional convention; and correspondence with the Millikens, mostly Helen, on the Equal Rights Amendment.