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John and Leni Sinclair were leaders of the counterculture movement in Michigan, organizers of radical social, political, and cultural endeavors primarily in the areas of music, poetry, graphic design, and community welfare projects. Papers and photographs (1957-1979) relating to all phases of their careers, including participation in the Artists' Workshop in Detroit, the Rainbow Multi-Media Corporation, the White Panther Party and its offshoot, the Rainbow Peoples Party; also materials concerning the legalization of marijuana, radical politics, and prison reform. Also material, 1979-2000, relating to John Sinclair's work as a writer, performer, radio show host and music promoter.

The John Sinclair papers came to the library in 1979. Jointly donated by John and Leni Sinclair, this initial accession, covering the period 1957-1979, included textual material, sound recordings, and photographs relating to all phases of their careers, including participation in the Artists' Workshop in Detroit, the Rainbow Multi-Media Corporation, the White Panther Party and its offshoot, the Rainbow Peoples Party; also materials concerning the legalization of marijuana, radical politics, prison reform, and rock and jazz music.

The Sinclair papers provide a rich and unique source for the study of America's radical movement in the nineteen sixties and seventies. Beginning with a remarkable series of correspondence that includes letters from Abbie Hoffman, Allen Ginsberg, Timothy Leary, and Jerry Rubin, and continuing on through extensive subject files, the collection details the cultural, political and business activities of a man whose energy and charisma made him a local and national leader of the counterculture. In addition, the collection documents the support and creativity of his wife and partner, who as writer, photographer and publicist helped to showcase the lifestyle which he symbolized.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, John Sinclair added to his papers with materials relating to his career as a writer and performer. In the winter of 2000, he donated a second large accession relating mainly to the period since leaving Detroit for New Orleans.

The Sinclair collection has been divided into four subgroups: Textual Files, Printed Material, Sound Recordings, and Visual Material.

University of Michigan radio station, founded 1948. Administrative records documenting the development of radio broadcasting at the University of Michigan; radio scripts, transcripts of talks given by faculty, publicity, scrapbooks, and photographs; and sound recordings of radio programs produced and broadcast by WUOM, as well as recordings of various University conferences, ceremonies, etc.

The records of radio station WUOM document the development of radio broadcasting at the University of Michigan from the 1920s through the 1960s. The bulk of the material dating from the founding of the campus radio station WUOM in 1948. The records include administrative files; scripts, publicity material, course guides and other program related material; and recordings of select broadcasts. the WUOM records are organized into three subgroups: Paper Records (including visual materials), Audio Materials (sound recordings) and Printed Material. The content description and arrangement idiosyncrasies of each are presented below. Though the dates of the current accession continue only into the early 1980s, with the bulk of materials concentrated in the 1940s-1960s, WUOM is a continuing unit of the university, and future accessions are anticipated.