Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University — 5401 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48202
Hours of Operations
[Podcast] Union Exemption: Nonprofit Work and the Boundaries of the Commercial Economy, 1951–1976
Posted October 9th, 2025 by teller
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John Miles Branch discusses the National Labor Relations Board’s policy to dismiss union petitions at charitable organizations in the decades following the Second World War, and the policy’s reversal in 1976 when the board acknowledged nonprofit institutions as a “third sector” of the economy linked with the nation’s commercial life. read more »
[Podcast] Talking Archives with AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride
Posted September 25th, 2025 by teller
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In celebration of the Reuther Library’s 50th anniversary, AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride reflects on the role the union’s history and archives play in current and future labor actions and organizing campaigns. read more »
Stories from the Collections: The last portraits of Jimmy Hoffa
Posted July 30th, 2025 by eclemens
On the morning of July 30, 1975, Tony Spina, the Chief Photographer for the Detroit Free Press, had no idea that a routine assignment would connect him to one of the defining mysteries of the late 20th century: the disappearance of former Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa. read more »
Guest Post: Olivia Barron on Ronald Raven Award, 2025
Posted July 29th, 2025 by slebovitz
Olivia Barron received a 2025 Ronald Raven Annual Award, a scholarship providing a tuition stipend and a 135-hour internship in the Wayne State University Archives. At the end of their internship, Olivia wrote this summary of their experience.
Ronald Raven Award Internship: A Retrospective
When I was a freshman history student at Wayne State University, the History Club went on a tour of the Walter P. Reuther Library to see its collections and the archive’s inner workings. I cannot begin to describe how excited I was by this experience, and how much it impacted the rest of my academic career up to the present. read more »
