Blogs

Folklore Friday: New Year's Eve Edition

(22991) New Year's Eve Celebration, 1936

As 2017 draws to a close, it is time to look forward to all that is to come in the new year. This Folklore Friday we are sharing traditions and beliefs concerning New Year’s Eve. These customs are taken from student projects within the Folklore Archive that include interviews with immigrants or first-generation members of different ethnic communities throughout Southeastern Michigan, largely from Southern and Eastern Europe.  read more »

Winter Break - Reuther Library Closure

(31188) Santa Claus Training School, Detroit, 1938

Please note that the Reuther Library will be closed from December 25 to January 1 for Wayne State University's winter break.

We are open until 4pm on December 22nd, and will we back to serve your needs in the reading room January 2 at 10am.

Please feel free to submit reference questions at Ask An Archivist and we will get back to you when we return.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Bradley v Milliken Desegregation Collections

This fall we have processed two new collections that add to the history of desegregation efforts in Detroit schools. These collections highlight the disparate perspectives represented in archives, where pieces of evidence can be assessed together to gain a deeper understanding of events in the past.

Attempts to desegregate Detroit Public Schools, particularly the court case Bradley v Milliken during the 1970s and 1980s, were very controversial endeavors.  read more »

William Bunge, Radical Cartographer and Radical Member of Wayne State Faculty

The Reuther Library is proud to house archival materials detailing the work of William Bunge, former Wayne State Professor and activist, who created the Detroit Geographical Expedition Institute to offer free courses to Detroit residents in cartography, geography, community activism, and urban planning. Over the years, Bunge’s radical stances brought him into conflict with the university administration and the United States Government.  read more »

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