Primary Sources: Original Documents, Photos, and Newspapers
Primary sources are the original documents from the time the event took place. They are created by historical actors or observers.
While some primary sources from this time period (e.g., newspaper articles, scanned historical photos from personal collections that Detroiters have put online, other digitized sources), most of the primary sources you need will require a visit to an archives or other collecting institution. Some of the local archives that have materials related to Detroit history during the Coleman Young years are listed on below. When you identify an archives you'd like to visit, it's best to first email the reference archivist and tell them about your project, and what collection you'd like to see on your visit. The archivist can also recommend other materials related to your topic in the archives, pull selected materials for you, and help you arrange your visit.
Research Methods Primary Sources is a new online subscription resource that contains essays and instructions on how to do primary source research in the humanities, including history.
- Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban AffairsThe Reuther Library preserves and makes available materials about labor history, Detroit history, and Michigan history.
- Coleman Young Papers at Reuther LibraryThe Coleman Young Papers are divided between the Reuther Library and the Wright Museum. A description of the Reuther's holdings are at this link.
The Coleman Young papers at the Reuther Library can be accessed by visiting Reuther Library. - Finding Aid for Coleman Young Papers at Burton Collection (Detroit Public Library)Finding aid and box list for Coleman Young papers housed at the Burton Collection at the main branch of the Detroit Public Library.
The Coleman Young Papers can be access by making an appointment online. - Burton Historical Collection at the Detroit Public LibraryThe Burton Historical Collection can be used by making an appointment online at this link.
About the collection: "The Burton Historical Collection (BHC) of the Detroit Public Library began as the private library of Clarence Monroe Burton, a prominent attorney and Detroit historiographer. Mr. Burton’s original intention was to assemble a collection on the history of Detroit. Realizing that Detroit’s history was inextricably connected to that of Michigan and the Old Northwest, Canada and New France, he assembled a collection that is one of the most important private historical collections in the country." - Charles H. Wright Museum Living History CollectionOral history collection. "Narrators focus on religion, family life, education, race relations, and a variety of other topics about life in Detroit, including the civil disturbances of 1943 and 1967, Sojourner Truth Homes, and Dr. King's march on Woodward."
- MichiganologySearch for digitized materials from the state archives of Michigan.
- Archives of MichiganLocated in Lansing, MI. "The Archives of Michigan is responsible for preserving the records of Michigan government and other public institutions. The collections also include documents, maps, photographs and film from private individuals and organizations."
- Bentley Historical LibraryAt the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. Contains digitized, print, and born digital materials related to Michigan history, including Detroit.
- The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History"Housing over 30,000 artifacts and archival materials and home to the Blanche Coggin Underground Railroad Collection, Harriet Tubman Museum Collection, Coleman A. Young Collection and the Sheffield Collection, a repository of documents of the labor movement in Detroit..."
- ProQuest History Vault This link opens in a new windowPrimary source materials from its University Publications of America (UPA) Collection in a digital format. ProQuest History Vault unlocks the wealth of archival materials with a single search. Researchers can access letters, papers, photographs, scrapbooks, financial records, diaries, and much more from a single interface.
- Readex Primary Sources This link opens in a new windowIncludes African American Newspapers (1928-1998)
- ArchiveGrid"ArchiveGrid includes over 7 million records describing archival materials, bringing together information about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and more. With over 1,400 archival institutions represented, ArchiveGrid helps researchers looking for primary source materials held in archives, libraries, museums and historical societies."
ArchiveGrid will tell you that a collection you might be interested in exists, and information about it. If there are digitized materials from a collection, those can also be found in ArchiveGrid. - Wayne State University Special Collections"The Wayne State University Library System Special Collections serves as a repository for special collections materials regarding the history and development of children's literature; African American literature and culture; Detroit and Michigan history, art and literature; the sciences, including medicine and nursing; Judaica; and historical Michigan law."
- Detroit News Historical and Current Collection This link opens in a new windowThe Detroit News Collection : Search more than 145 years of Detroit history with The Detroit News Collection. Coverage from 1873 through today. Explore current and archived issues of The Detroit News with full-color newspaper pages and individual articles.
- Detroit Free Press Backfile (1923-1999) This link opens in a new windowProQuest Historical Newspapers: Detroit Free Press offers full page and article images with searchable full text. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue.
- Wayne State University Digital CollectionsDigitized materials at WSU. Relevant collections include Building the Detroit Renaissance Center, Virtual Motor City, and Wayne State University Buildings Collection.
- African American Communities This link opens in a new windowFocusing predominantly on Atlanta, Chicago, Brooklyn, and towns and cities in North Carolina, this collection focuses on race relations across social, political, cultural and religious arenas. Through pamphlets, periodicals, correspondence, official records and in-depth oral histories, it reveals the challenges of racism, discrimination and integration, and the expressions of a unique African American culture and identity.
- Alexander Street PBS Video Collection This link opens in a new windowThis collection of more than 1,600 streaming videos provides an exceptional range of content with the most valuable video documentaries and series from PBS. From science to history, art to Shakespeare, diversity to business & economics, and more, the PBS Video Collection: Fourth Edition provides access to one of television’s most trusted networks.
- HathiTrust Digital Library This link opens in a new window'HathiTrust was conceived as a collaboration of the thirteen universities of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation and the University of California system to establish a repository for these universities to archive and share their digitized collections. Access is provided to many open access works from libraries around the country. Not all works are fully viewable.
- Independent Voices This link opens in a new windowIndependent Voices is a digital collection of alternative press newspapers, magazines and journals, drawn from the special collections of participating libraries. These periodicals were produced by feminists, dissident GIs, campus radicals, Native Americans, anti-war activists, Black Power advocates, Hispanics, LGBT activists, the extreme right-wing press and alternative literary magazines during the latter half of the 20th century.
- Michigan Chronicle 1939-2010"ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Michigan Chronicle offers primary source material essential to the study of American history and African American culture, history, politics, and the arts. Examine major movements from the Great Migration and Civil Rights to the election of America’s first Black president. Explore nearly nine decades of everyday life as written from the perspective of this Detroit-based paper providing researchers with unprecedented access to perspectives and information excluded or marginalized in mainstream sources."
Summon
Summon is a "discovery layer" that searches the WSU catalog (index of books), ebooks, journal articles, and newspapers in the WSU Library. This is a very great place to start looking for secondary sources on your topic.
Summon pro-tip: to discover sources on the topic that WSU does not have a license to but can obtain for you via Interlibrary Loan, check the "Add results beyond your library's collection" box on the left side of search results.
Summon pro-tip #2: You can search for archival collections that contain certain keywords by choosing "Archival Material" from left menu of the search results.
Secondary Sources: Books and Articles Written About Coleman Young
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowProvides image and full-text online access to back issues of selected scholarly journals in history, economics, political science, demography, mathematics, and other fields of the humanities and social sciences. WSU has perpetual access to the Arts and Sciences I-XV, Hebrew Journals and Sustainability Collections.
- Project Muse This link opens in a new windowA searchable database that provides access to the full text of journals published by Johns Hopkins University Press and other university presses.
- Journal of Urban History1974-present (all issues available electronically)
- Social Services Abstracts This link opens in a new windowCSA Social Services Abstracts provides bibliographic coverage of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare, social policy, and community development. The database abstracts and indexes over 1,406 serials publications and includes abstracts of journal articles and dissertations, and citations to book reviews.
- Urban studies abstracts This link opens in a new windowUrban Studies Abstracts includes bibliographic records covering essential areas related to urban studies, including urban affairs, community development, urban history, and other areas of key relevance to the discipline.
- Worldwide Political Science Abstracts This link opens in a new windowThe database provides access to citations and abstracts of journal articles appearing political science journals. Years of Coverage: 1975 to the present.
- WorldCat This link opens in a new windowOver 36 million records of any type of material cataloged by OCLC member libraries. Includes manuscripts written as early as the 11th century.
Interlibrary Loan
If WSU Library does not have a book or article you are looking for in our collection, we will borrow or purchase that book for you, free of charge. This service is called Interlibrary Loan. Click here to make a request through Interlibrary Loan.
Search Google Scholar
Searching Google Scholar through the library's connection provides you free access to our full-text articles.