Blogs

Winter is the time for the celebration of holidays and festivals in many ethnic and religious groups around the world, from the Winter Solstice to Kwanzaa. Though the Reuther Library lacks any Druid collections that shed light on prehistoric winter rites, it is the home of a relevant “hidden gem” collection: the Folklore Archive. The holiday information in this collection is wide-ranging, enlightening and sometimes amusing.

The Folklore Archive, established in 1939, contains the oldest and largest record of urban folk traditions in the United States. At its core are thousands of student field research projects from Wayne University (later Wayne State) classes.  read more »

The Reuther Library is pleased to announce the launch of a new HistoryPin tour: Detroit and World War II

The interactive tour features images that highlight the role of everyday citizens in the war effort between the years 1940-1945. Topics featured include military draft and recruitment, mobilization, salvage drives, rationing, community events, and defense work. Of particular interest are photographs of industrial training, the daily life of prisoners of war held at Fort Wayne, U.S.O. recreation activities, and community involvement in the war effort.  read more »

December 5th is Repeal Day, celebrating the end of Prohibition in the United States in 1933.

The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed in 1919, prohibiting the sale, consumption, and manufacturing of alcoholic beverages. The National Prohibition Act (also known as the Volstead Act), defined what constituted an illegal alcoholic beverage  read more »

The Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs invites applications for travel grants of up to $1,000 as part of the 2016 Sam Fishman Travel Grant Program. The program provides research grants to support faculty, students, independent researchers, and union members  read more »