Suggested Research Topics - Black Involvement in Preservation of Black History in Michigan, 1939-1942

The Negro Manuscripts Survey operated as part of the Historical Records Survey during the years 1939-1942. It was staffed entirely by Black workers who worked within the Black community in the metropolitan Detroit area to locate and inventory - and, in some cases, transcribe - papers and other historical materials which recorded any aspect of Black history in America. The workers surveyed the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library and also sought information and materials in people's homes.

What were the origins of the Negro Manuscripts Survey in Michigan? Were there counterparts in other parts of the country? How did the Negro Manuscripts Survey function? How did workers get into the projects? How successful was the project? What products resulted from the survey? Did this portion of the WPA's Historical Records Survey function any differently from other surveys because of the focus on the black community? Were resources for the Negro Manuscripts Survey adequate for the project? Did the primarily white leadership of the WPA's Historical Records Survey provide enough support for the Negro Manuscripts Survey? Were there any lasting effects of the project?

Examples of Primary Source Collections and Other Resources:


In an effort to encourage creative thinking about possible research topics for students unfamiliar with archives and their inevitable complexities, archivists and student employees of the Bentley Historical Library have authored "suggested research topics ." The purpose of these is not to define a topic but rather to stimulate thinking about a topic where the holdings of the Bentley Library are particularly strong.