Bentley Historical Library

News Stories

  • How to Qualify as a Person

    Forty-nine years before women were granted the right to vote in the United States, a no-nonsense widow named Nannette Gardner would cast her ballot in Detroit, giving the suffrage movement a notable victory.

    … Complete Story
  • Ferry on water with open decks and people on board, and blue sky in the background.

    The Unsinkable Sarah E. Ray

    In 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray was denied passage on a steamboat on the Detroit River because she was Black. She fought the injustice, and today her trailblazing civil rights role is being preserved — including through a new collection.

    … Complete Story

  • M Glow Blue

    In 1957, the University of Michigan campus sported a fully functional nuclear reactor, complete with a 55,000-gallon glowing reactor pool. Bentley collections help tell the story of why the reactor was built—and what happened to it.

    … Complete Story
  • Black and white portrait of Oscar Baker.

    Beyond These Hallowed Halls

    In 1899, Oscar W. Baker Sr. was accepted into the University of Michigan Law School, becoming the 100th African American student to attend U-M. After graduation, Baker would make remarkable contributions and achievements working for racial and social justice.

    … Complete Story

  • The Improbable Herpetologist

    Frogs, salamanders, and lizards, oh my! In the early 20th century, Helen Thompson Gaige defied gender stereotypes by becoming an expert in zoology and launching herself into adventures to collect and study specimens. Her one-of-a-kind legacy endures in the archive.

    … Complete Story
  • Laptop resting on a lap while a second person holding an tablet points to the laptop screen

    A Better Way to Explore the Archives

    The University of Michigan has launched a new way to search finding aids, which describe the contexts of archival collection boxes or folders, like those at the Bentley. This new system helps researchers better discover and request the materials relevant to their work.

    … Complete Story
  • Alexis Antracoli looks at camera in this portrait photograph.

    Alexis Antracoli Named New Bentley Director

    The Bentley Historical Library is pleased to announce that the Regents of the University of Michigan have approved Alexis Antracoli as the library’s next director. Antracoli will work with archivists and other professionals overseeing the Bentley’s vast collections.

    … Complete Story