African Americans--History

AFT: Human Rights and Community Relations Records

dgolodner — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:04:52 -0400

The Human Rights and Community Relations Department of the American Federation of
Teachers was created by Vice President Richard Parrish October 2, 1966. Before the
official department was created it was a standing committee and then a permanent
committee with in the executive council. The department was created as an office in the
AFT that would be responsible for collecting and distributing information about the
government, education and community policies and programs dealing with civil and
human rights. The most important duty of the department is to guide the AFT in any
“involvement with or commitment to labor and other organizations concerned with civil
and human rights.”

Part One of the collection deals with the Racism in Education conference that the AFT sponsored throughout the late 1960s to the early 1970s. Other materials are general subject files and correspondence to and from the Civil Rights Department. Part Two of the collection pertains to black history, race relations and women’s rights on both national and local levels. The collection consists of AFT files as well as meeting and conference information. The department maintained a large section of subject files relating to civil and human rights in education.

Robert Millender Papers

drice — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:32:09 -0400

Robert Millender (1916-1978) was an influential attorney, political strategist, and campaign manager in Detroit, most notable for his efforts to establish political power for African Americans in the city throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He began his legal and political career in the mid-1950s as a labor attorney, including appointments to the Workers Compensation Board and the Trade Unions Leadership Council. In the early 1960s, Millender and George Crockett, Jr. began working toward the goal of electing African Americans to prominent political offices in Detroit. In the process, Millender established himself as an instrumental force in the elections of many of Detroit's first generation of successful African American politicians by serving as campaign manager for notable politicians including Congressional Representative John Conyers, Michigan Secretary of State Richard Austin, Detroit City Council Members Robert Tindal and Erma Henderson, and Detroit Mayor Coleman Young.

The Robert Millender Papers document Millender's legal and political activities from 1963-1978, including his work as a campaign manager for numerous Detroit politicians and as an attorney active in issues related to labor activism and African American political
representation. Comprised of mostly paper records, including correspondence, memos,
speeches, meeting minutes, and promotional materials demonstrating Millender's influence on and dedication to the candidacies of African American politicians in the City of Detroit in addition to his activities as an attorney and political activist outside of his work as a campaign manager. The collection also containssome photographs and memorabilia.

Urban Environment Conference (UEC) Records

drice — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 11:09:42 -0400

The Urban Environment Conference (UEC) grew out of an effort in 1971 by Michigan Senator Philip Hart to provide a forum for the discussion of problems and issues of joint concern to urban reform groups, environmentalists, and organized labor. Within a year, most of the participants decided to organize the group as a non-profit corporation with both advocacy and clearinghouse functions, including lobbying, education and publicity, fundraising, leadership training, technical assistance on program development, and coalition-building. While protecting on-the-job and community health has been the Conference’s priority issue, UEC also has a notable record on energy, mass transit, fair housing and full employment.

The Urban Environment Conference Collection consists of correspondence, reports, minutes,
clippings and publications related primarily to environmental/occupational health issues affecting minorities at home and in the workplace.

Edward Vaughn Papers

srafferty — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 14:38:26 -0500

Edward Vaughn was a participant in the rise of black consciousness that began to proliferate in the 1960s. He opened Vaughn’s Bookstore in Detroit in 1965, the second black bookstore in America, and it was well known as disseminator of books and information on African American history. Vaughn also became involved in Forum 66, Black Star Co-op Inc., was part of the 6th Pan-African Congress, and a number of other organizations promoting African American culture and Detroit community. Vaughn later became involved in politics at both a city and state level, serving as a Michigan State Representative, Executive Assistant to Mayor Coleman Young, and ran for other office including the Detroit City Council. After retiring from political office Vaughn moved back to his hometown of Dothan, Alabama and became more heavily involved in the NAACP, including serving as President of the Dothan/Wiregrass Branch. Vaughn also spends time writing plays and promoting local theatre.

The Emancipation Proclamation Centennial—1863-1963-2023

aergas — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 09:27:04 -0400

Note: This text includes language that is outdated and may be offensive. Titles of events and writings are included in their original language circa 1963.

A little-known collection in the Wayne State University Archives documents an event that took place at the university in 1963, 60 years ago this year, but commemorating a historic event 100 years before that. The year-long observance — the centennial of the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation — was marked by celebrations, lectures, symposia, performances, and the granting of honorary degrees. The small collection of the Wayne State University Emancipation Centennial Committee, which resides at the Walter P. Reuther Library, contains a wealth of correspondence, texts of speeches, and academic papers. read more »

The Michigan Black History Bibliography Index: An Invaluable Resource

ljones — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 12:32:46 -0500

In the mid 1970s, the Walter Reuther Library produced an invaluable source of information for numerous researchers that have walked through its doors - the Michigan Black History Bibliography Index. The index contains a wealth of information that does not exist anywhere else, providing researchers with connections to unique and often obscure sources. With this blog, a wider audience will become aware of its existence and value. The index is a four-drawer card file identifying sources that are key to understanding Black history in Michigan, and its hundreds of bibliographic references span from the 19th Century until the mid 1970s. read more »

(31016) Martin Luther King, Jr. Rally, Children Holding Signs, 2001

aorchard — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 15:04:45 -0500

Children hold up a sign wishing Dr. King a happy birthday during the Martin Luther King Rally in 2001.

(31017) Martin Luther King, Jr. Rally, Labor and Civil Rights, Memphis, Tennessee, 1998

aorchard — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 15:09:36 -0500

Participants walk with a banner stating, "Two Movements, One Goal: Labor and Civil Rights," during the 1998 Martin Luther King, Jr. rally in Memphis, Tennessee.

(31018) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March, Atlanta, Georgia, 1989

aorchard — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 15:13:21 -0500

Participants walk with a banner stating, "Justice for Janitors - SEIU Local 679 - Living the Dream" during the 1989 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day march in Atlanta, Georgia.

(31019) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Coretta Scott King, Dexter Scott King, Atlanta, Georgia, 1989

aorchard — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 15:17:48 -0500

Dexter Scott King watches as Coretta Scott King addresses the crowd during the 1989 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day march in Atlanta, Georgia.

(31020) Martin Luther King, Jr. March, Washington, D.C., 1982

aorchard — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 15:21:54 -0500

Participants of the 1982 Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday march in Washington, D.C. hold a banner in front of the Capitol building.

(31021) Martin Luther King, Jr. March, Participants, Washington, D.C., 1982

aorchard — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 15:24:47 -0500

Participants hold signs displaying images of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and wishing him a happy birthday during the 1982 Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday march in Washington, D.C.

(31882) Martin Luther King Jr., Peter Ottley, 1965

aorchard — Sat, 31 May 2014 08:46:50 -0400

Peter Ottley with martin Luther King, Jr.

(32405) Ramon Scruggs, George Romney, Lenore Romney, 1963

gstrassel — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 09:46:03 -0500

Governor George Romney and Lenore Romney with Ramon S. Scruggs. August, 1963.

(32406) Ramon Scruggs and George Romney

gstrassel — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 09:55:05 -0500

Ramon Scruggs shaking hands with George Romney.

(32407) Ramon Scruggs, Detroit Urban League

gstrassel — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 09:59:54 -0500

Ramon Scruggs presiding at a Detroit Urban League event. Undated.

(32408) Ramon Scruggs, W. Calvin Patterson, 1954

gstrassel — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:03:26 -0500

Ramon Scruggs meeting with W. Calvin Patterson, the vice president of public relations at Michigan Bell Telephone Company. April 17, 1954.

(32409) Ramon Scruggs and Hubert H. Humphrey, Miami

gstrassel — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:06:40 -0500

Ramon Scruggs as vice president of the National Urban League greeting vice president Hubert H. Humphrey at an airport in Miami for the National Urban League conference. Undated

(32410) Ramon Scruggs, 1954

gstrassel — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:09:47 -0500

Ramon Scruggs portrait, 1954.

(32411) Scruggs at Michigan Bell

gstrassel — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:12:53 -0500

Ramon Scruggs at Michigan Bell with co-workers, circa 1940. From left to right: George Taylor, Ramon Scruggs, Augustus “Gus” Calloway.

(32412) Telephone equipment demonstration

gstrassel — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:15:21 -0500

One of the first assignments at Michigan Bell for Ramon Scruggs, giving a demonstration on unusual telephone company equipment, undated.

(32413) Public relations seminar, 1954

gstrassel — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:17:57 -0500

Public relations seminar led by Ramon Scruggs at the Michigan Bell Telephone Company. April 21, 1954.

(32629) NAACP, Demonstrations, Young, 1940s

eclemens — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 09:19:37 -0500

Members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) stand outside an unidentified building, possibly during an anti-war demonstration, and hold signs, that read: “The Yanks Are Not Coming--Let God Save the King!” and “No Jim Crow." Location is not identified, but is presumed to be Detroit, Michigan.

Second row, second from right stands Coleman A. Young.

(46529) James and Grace Lee Boggs, Paine Residence, Maine, 1975

eclemens — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 16:36:06 -0400

James and Grace Lee Boggs enjoy a laugh while visiting Freddy (Francis) and Lyman Paine’s home on Sutton Island, Maine.

Photo courtesy of the Francis and Lyman Paine Audio Recordings and Photographs.

(49574) John Conyers, Jr., Portraits, Undated

eclemens — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 11:04:04 -0400

Portrait of Congressman John Conyers, Jr., likely taken at a Detroit Free Press studio.

(49575) John Conyers, Jr., Portraits, Undated

eclemens — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 11:02:28 -0400

Portrait of Congressman John Conyers, Jr., likely taken at a Detroit Free Press studio.

(54189) Rep. Morris Hood, Jr., Portraits, Undated

eclemens — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 15:19:04 -0400

Portrait of Morris Hood, Jr., Michigan State Representative

Photo courtesy of the Detroit News Collection

[Podcast] "Girls, We Cannot Lose!": Midwestern Black Women Activists During the Great Depression

teller — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 12:46:10 -0500

Dr. Melissa Ford explores the influence of working-class Black women in Detroit, St. Louis, and Cleveland on the development of Black radicalism in the American Midwest during the Great Depression. Ford is an associate professor of African American history at Slippery Rock University and author of A Brick and a Bible: Black Women's Radical Activism in the Midwest during the Great Depression. read more »

[Podcast] (Re)Introducing the Michigan Black History Bibliography

teller — Thu, 09 Jul 2020 11:10:19 -0400

Reuther Library field archivist Dr. Louis Jones and former archives students and staff members Mattie Dugan and Allie Penn discuss the Reuther’s Michigan Black History Bibliography (MBHB) and the multi-year, student-led project to digitize a decades-old index card file. read more »

[Podcast] A Double Agent, a Conservative Affirmative Action Advocate, and a Black Nationalist Walk Into an Archive...: Field Report with Archivist Louis Jones

teller — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 13:05:22 -0400

After a brief hiatus we’re back! Reuther Library Field Archivist Louis Jones discusses fascinating collections recently opened at the Reuther Library. read more »