Detroit: Ethnic
Polish funeral procession, Detroit, undated 1900s. Photograph by the Detroit News (Michigan Historical Collections topical photograph collection, Box 1) image bl004021
Akrawi, Adil J.
- Adil J. Akrawi collection ca. 1978-1995.
- .5 linear ft.
Leader in Detroit's Chaldean and Arabic communities.
Biographical materials; copies of Al-Muntada, a periodical that Akrawi founded; photographs and videotapes.
American Turners-Detroit.
- American Turners-Detroit records 1920s-1994 (bulk 1930s-1950s).
- 0.5 linear ft. and 2 oversize folders.
German-American social organization formerly called Detroiter Socialer Turnverein.
Brief history of organization prepared in 1994; scattered issues of news magazine, Detroit Turner Times; clippings, ephemera; and photographs.
Finding aid available in library
Americanization Committee of Detroit (Mich.)
- Americanization Committee of Detroit papers 1914-1931.
- ca. 200 items
Correspondence, minutes of meetings, reports and other materials concerning the assimilation of the foreign-born residents of Detroit and the committee's educational programs on behalf of the city's immigrant population during World War I and after.
Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services.
- Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services records 1982-1998.
- .3 linear ft.
The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) was founded in 1971 in Dearborn, Mich., by a group of people of Arab origin. A major goal was to provide services and assistance to new immigrants, including English instruction and interpreters. A wider goal is to help establish a sense of community among Arabs and to provide a place to express traditions and pursue cultural activities.
The collection includes a history of the organization and a history of the Arab-American community in Detroit; also newsletters and information about many of the organization's activities.
Aswad, Barbara C.
- Barbara C. Aswad papers, 1962-2000 (bulk 1975-2000).
- 2 linear ft.
Professor of anthropology at Wayne State University, active in issues and organizations specific to the Arab-American population of southeastern Michigan, particularly Dearborn, Michigan.
Topical files document Arab and Arab-American culture and life. Organizational files document Aswad's involvement in such organizations as the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.
Burns, Carolyn Sinelli, 1915-
- Carolyn S. Burns papers, 1943-1968.
- 8 linear ft.
Detroit civic worker and fund-raiser.
Files relating to her work with Italian-American organizations, especially the American committee on Italian Migration, the American-Italian Business and Professional Women's Club, and the Piemontese Ladies Social Club; papers concerning her interest in U.S. immigration law and the problems of displaced persons and refugees; files relating to her Catholic faith and work for Catholic missionary organizations, notably the Friends of Sts. Peter and Paul Missionaries; and files concerning Democratic politics and her work during the 1966 senatorial campaign of G. Mennen Williams.
Chaldean Federation of America.
- Chaldean Federation of America papers, 1993-2000.
- 1 linear ft. and 1 oversize folder.
Metropolitan Detroit area-based organization of Chaldean Catholics.
Programs, newsletters, and other publications accumulated by the organization; also videotapes and artifactual miscellanea.
Detroit Japanese American Citizens League.
- Detroit Japanese American Citizens League records, 1940-1995.
- 2.5 linear ft., 15 oversize volumes, and 2 oversize folders.
Detroit chapter of organization established to facilitate acceptance of Japanese Americans, to voice political concerns, and to provide social activities for their members.
The records consist of topical files, photographs, and scrapbooks. The topical files include minutes of the organization, files relating to chapter activities and events, chapter newsletters, and files documenting relationship with national office.
Dulemba, Arthur W.
- Arthur W. Dulemba scrapbook, 1953-1965.
- 1 folder (photocopies)
Resident of Detroit.
Clippings and photos relating to his activities as president of the West Side Council of Clubs, a Polish-American civic association. (Partially in Polish)
Emmanuel-Bethel United Church of Christ (Royal Oak, Mich.)
- Emmanuel-Bethel United Church of Christ records, 1880-1974.
- 7.5 linear ft.
Formed in 1974 as a result of a merger between the Emmanuel United Church of Christ (Royal Oak, Mich.), founded in 1874, and Bethel United Church of Christ (Detroit, Mich.), founded in 1912. Both churches initially served an immigrant German population. Reinhold Niebuhr was pastor of the Bethel church from 1915 to 1928.
Membership records, church council and congregation meeting minutes, records of church organizations, histories, publications, and photographs. The bulk of the records are from Bethel Evangelical and Reformed Church.
Gajec, Edward, 1918-
- Edward Gajec papers, 1935-1995.
- 2.5 linear ft.
Detroit musician and music educator, also a promoter of ethnic festivals.
The collection consists of correspondence, brochures, programs, newspaper clippings, and photographs documenting the ethnic communities of Detroit especially focusing on established ethnic organizations and festivals.
German Protestant Home for Orphans and Old People (Detroit, Mich.)
- German Protestant Home for Orphans and Old People records, 1879-1919.
- 0.2 linear ft. (Photocopies)
Now part of Evangelical Homes of Michigan of Detroit and Saline.
Translation of minutes, 1879-1895 and 1905; and translation of twenty-fifth anniversary brochure, 1919.
Haass family.
- Haass family papers, [ca. 1898]-[ca. 1941].
- 0.2 linear ft.
Detroit family.
Papers, 1898, of Charles W. F. Haass, Lutheran clergyman, including church program, and notes and prayer in German; scrapbooks, 1913-1931, of Julius H. Haass, Detroit banker, containing obituary notices of family members; and papers, 1936-1941, of Walter F. Haass concerning banking in Detroit, and the career of his father, Charles Haass. (Charles W. F. Haass materials largely in German)
Hassen, Aliya, 1910-1990.
- Aliya Hassen papers, 1910-1991.
- 1.5 linear ft. and 1 oversize folder.
Arab-American community leader in the Dearborn-Detroit area of Michigan.
Articles, manuscripts and poems on Islamic topics; topical files, 1948-1991, relating to Arab community affairs, including files concerning the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, 1986-1991 and the Federation of Islamic Associations of the U.S. and Canada; also correspondence and articles of Malcolm X; and photographs.
Immanuel United Church of Christ (Detroit, Mich.)
- Immanuel United Church of Christ records, 1894 and 1912-1995 (bulk 1942-1978)
- 6 linear ft. and 1 oversize motion picture.
Church established by German immigrant workers to Detroit. The congregation was formerly associated with the Evangelical and Reformed Church.
Series in the record group include Administrative files, Registers of Services, Historical Materials, records of Church Organizations, Yearly Files, Publications, and Visual Materials.
Finding aid available in library
Isaacs, Bernard, 1882-1975.
- Bernard Isaacs papers, 1919-1981.
- 1.3 linear ft.
Educator and administrator with the United Hebrew Schools of Detroit; writer of short stories, essays, and musical plays.
Writings; published works; scattered correspondence relating in part to Detroit Zionism, 1919-1921; miscellaneous relating to the United Hebrew Schools of Detroit; and scores and program to musical plays written by Isaacs, entitled, "Samson and Delilah" and "Saul and David."
Finding aid available in library
Jabara, Abdeen, 1940-
- Abdeen M. Jabara papers, 1956-1986 (bulk 1968-1983).
- 9 linear ft.
New York attorney originally based in Detroit. Jabara was concerned with issues of civil rights of Arab Americans and the rights of Arabs living or traveling in the United States. He challenged practice of law enforcement agencies to collect information and maintain surveillance of Arabs and Arab Americans. Jabara was involved in the murder trial of Sirhan Sirhan and the extradition case of Ziad Abu Eain.
Litigation and case files; subject files regarding his Arab American activism, organizational involvements, and participation in the Middle East delegation of the National Lawyers Guild.
Jenny Lind Club of Detroit.
- Jennie Lind Club of Detroit records, 1937-1988.
- 1 linear ft.
Swedish American women's organization.
Correspondence; minutes of meetings; and yearbooks containing annual reports.
Lagos, James.
- James Lagos papers 1930s-1990s
- .1 linear ft.
Also known as Adamantios Lagopoulos. Resident of Warren, Mich., who published the newspapers Ethnikon Vima (Detroit Greek Tribune) and To Vima (National Greek Tribune), in Detroit, Mich.
Scattered writings by and about Lagos, and videotape.
Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development.
- Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development records, 1969-1997.
- 1 linear ft.
Social service organization (known as LA SED) serving the Latino community of Detroit, particularly the heavily Latino neighborhoods of Southwest Detroit. The organization was founded in 1969 through the cooperative efforts of community leaders, union officials, and the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit.
The records consist of materials accumulated by Lucy Gajec, a member of the board of directors. The records, primarily official documents rather than personal correspondence, are divided into four series. The Chronological (1969-1997) series contains correspondence, memos, event publicity, legal and financial documents, and clippings concerning LA SED. The Topical Files (1971-1974) contain correspondence, memos, and printed material concerning a variety of subjects relevant to the activities and operation of LA SED. The Publications series contains one folder of miscellaneous pamphlets and programs about LA SED, and one folder of programs from the organization's Annual Recognition Luncheons (1969-1997).
Markstrum, John A., 1889-1980.
- John A. Markstrum papers, 1962-1967.
- 50 items.
Member of the Swedish Engineers' Society of Detroit.
History and printed material relating to the society and the Ladies Auxiliary of the society; also photographs.
Martin, Edward, collector.
- Edward Martin collection 1852-2004
- 11 linear feet (in 16 boxes) and 3 oversize volumes.
Collector of materials documenting Michigan activities and organizations, especially Polish Americans in Detroit.
The Edward Martin collection consists of records of the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners, the Polish Army Veterans Association, and the Polish Sea League. The collection also includes photographs from various Polish photography studios in Detroit and Michigan, topical photographs, Polish printed materials, scrapbooks; papers of Waclaw S. Jakubowski including collected clippings about Poletown in Detroit, Michigan; and records of Clio, Michigan pharmacy and VFW post.
Polish Activities League (Detroit, Mich.)
- Polish Activities League records, 1923-1974.
- 6 linear ft., 4 oversize volumes, and 1 reel of microfilm.
Detroit social service organization established to aid the Detroit Polish community.
Scrapbooks, printed histories, scattered correspondence, photographs, and minute book, 1949-1954. (Partially in Polish)
Schmidt, Carl Ernest, 1856-1934.
- Carl Ernest Schmidt scrapbooks, 1892-1935.
- 16 volumes.
Detroit German-American businessman.
Newspaper clippings, printed articles, photographs, ink drawings, and handwritten sections concerning his role on the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners, 1892-1894, the State Board of Arbitration and Mediation, 1897-1898, and the State Forest Inquiry Commission, 1907-1908.
St. Peter's Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church (Detroit, Mich.)
- St. Peter's Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church records, 1880-1980.
- 5 linear ft.
Histories, minutes of meetings, treasurer's reports and minutes; records of youth and women's organizations; and yearbooks and church newspaper. (Partially in Danish)
Finding aid in the library.
Stanczyk, Benjamin C. (Benjamin Conrad), 1915-
- Benjamin C. Stanczyk papers, 1944-1975.
- 3 linear ft. and 12 oversize volumes.
Detroit Judge of Common Pleas.
Correspondence, notebooks, scrapbooks, and miscellanea largely relating to Democratic Party Affairs, Polish-American activities and organizations, and legal and political interests.
Stanis, Antoinette.
- Antoinette Stanis records, 1936-1971.
- 1 linear ft.
Records collected by Antoinette Stanis of Dearborn, Michigan, related to her civic, social and political activities in the Polish-American community in Detroit.
Minutes and treasurer's books of the Polish-American Women's Political Club; constitution and amendments of the West Side Council of Clubs (Democratic). (The Polish American Women's Political Club materials are in Polish.)
Swedish Athletic Club (Detroit, Mich.)
- Swedish Athletic Club records, 1923-1929.
- 1 volume.
Minutes of meetings. (In Swedish)
Wojtowicz, Harriet.
- Harriet Wojtowicz papers 1915-2000, bulk 1938-1988
- 1 linear foot.
Teacher of Spanish in the Detroit Public School System.
Correspondence with friends and colleagues in various countries that she visited; correspondence with Encarnación Alzona and Enid Starkie; memorabilia from her foreign travels; and miscellaneous regarding her life in Detroit, her teaching career, including controversy over her refusal to use a board-mandated Spanish textbook.
Workmen's Circle (U.S.). Michigan District Committee.
- Workmen's Circle (U.S.), Michigan District Committee papers, 1943-1962.
- 3 linear ft.
Jewish cooperative burial society and social welfare organization.
Correspondence, newspaper clippings, financial records, minute books, and newsletters and related publications.
Maltese immigrants at Americanization meeting at the home of Frank Agius, Detroit, May 1920 (YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit records, Box 2) image bl004022