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Inclusive History
Learn about the Inclusive History Project's efforts to document and share the full history of U-M across more than 200 years, and its ongoing impact, with the latest annual report from the IHP.
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Rhetorical Oracle
Gertrude Buck earned U-M’s first rhetoric Ph.D. The archives reveal how she used writing & teaching to break barriers for women, laying groundwork for today’s feminist rhetoric.
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Meet research fellow Frank Cirillo! As a historian who specializes in anti-slavery research, Frank is deeply interested in the impacts of the anti-slavery movement, known as abolitionism.
He is fascinated by the ways that abolitionist language shaped later groups, such as the suffrage movement!
Building on his previous book, "The Abolitionist Civil War," Cirillo visited the Bentley`s reading room to explore how other progressive movements reused anti-slavery rhetoric for their own ends, between the Gilded Age and World War I.
His project looks at "how abolitionist leaders were co-opted, their methods copied, and their words quoted to support different causes," in his own words.
The peace, temperance, and suffrage movements all interest Cirillo for that reason, showcased in collections like the Jabez Thomas Sunderland papers, the Rebecca Shelley papers, and more, from the archives here!
Cirillo intends to use his latest research to write about the crucial impacts of the anti-slavery movement on later social reform!
#Archives #AntiSlavery #Abolitionism #MichiganHistory #ResearchFellow
Happy Fourth of July from the archives! This photo of an early Fourth of July parade was taken #OTD over 100 years ago in Manchester, Michigan.
At the time, buildings on the parade route were decorated with ribbons, draped fabric, and American flags. You can see a marching band, including a tuba and a large drum, parading on the right side of this image!
If you look closely, you can also spot a child who appears to be holding his father’s hand while they watch the parade together, near the center of the photo.
You can find this 1896 parade photo, and other early images of Michigan, in the Sam Sturgis photograph collection at the Bentley.
We hope you have a wonderful Independence Day! 🎆
#4thOfJuly #MichiganHistory #IndependenceDay
Did you know that this historic U-M observatory hosts free events in Ann Arbor?
The Frankel Detroit Observatory is the second oldest building at U-M, and it serves as a local museum. It is also part of the Bentley Historical Library!
Anyone is welcome at these upcoming events in July to enjoy free history talks, walking tours, and more.
Click through to see a list of upcoming events, and check out the Judy & Stanley Frankel Detroit Observatory website for details!
#UMich #AnnArbor #HistoricBuilding #Museum #UpcomingEvents
Our new website is coming soon! ⭐
We’re excited to share that our new and improved Bentley Historical Library site will launch on July 16, 2026, featuring:
🔎 Even more ways to discover Michigan history
📖 Additional resources and help for researchers
🎨 A better design and a fresh, new look
Stay tuned, we can’t wait to share it with you!
#Update #NewWebsite #ComingSoon
