Bentley Historical Library

News Stories

  • James Toy, also known as Jim Toy, standing in a church.

    Pride & Prejudice

    Learn about Jim Toy, who stood on the front lines of the gay rights movement in its earliest days. His papers showcase years of perseverance that changed Ann Arbor, and beyond.

    … Complete Story
  • Eva Jessye, a singer who taught at the University of Michigan.

    Eva On the Stage

    Learn how Eva Jessye led a Broadway choir, stood with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and taught at the University of Michigan. Her work changed the arts—and America.

    … Complete Story
  • Men crouched in a circle for a Tuskegee AAF Training Command Briefing in 1943.

    At Freeman Field

    Discover how archived records at the Bentley show that a 1945 protest led by officers on Indiana’s Freeman Field ultimately paved the way for desegregation in the military.

    … Complete Story
  • The Detroit Observatory at the University of Michigan.

    The First Forecast

    Predicting the weather seemed like an impossible dream, until U-M’s Detroit Observatory trained a man who created something revolutionary: the weather forecast.

    … Complete Story
  • A woman student at U-M playing Ice Hockey in the 1990s.

    Frozen Out

    Explore the history of U-M women’s ice hockey, and learn how archived records at the Bentley show that the U-M women’s ice hockey team has repeatedly been iced out.

    … Complete Story
  • Historic photo of a painted mural by C. Popovich.

    Rescuing History

    A collection of black-and-white photos sat dormant for a decade. Then, the owner took a closer look, and wondered if those photos belonged at the Bentley.

    … Complete Story
  • Women athletes posing in front of the Martha Cook dormitory.

    A Sporting Chance

    Women at U-M fought for athletic facilities where they could exercise and play sports. Learn how they carved out spaces for themselves on campus, time and again.

    … Complete Story