Abstract The Detroit WestSiders organization was founded in 1995 to research and preserve the history of the people and institutions that made the west side of Detroit a nurturing and progressive enclave for African Americans in the period from 1920 to 1950. In 2005, as part of the WestSiders project, Reuther Library Field Archivist Louis Jones conducted oral history interviews with 12 longtime community members. The WestSiders compiled and selected this documentation for books and a website to educate...

Abstract Edward Vaughn was a participant in the rise of black consciousness that began to proliferate in the 1960s. He opened Vaughn’s Bookstore in Detroit in 1965, the second black bookstore in America, and it was well known as disseminator of books and information on African American history. Vaughn also became involved in Forum 66, Black Star Co-op Inc., was part of the 6th Pan-African Congress, and a number of other organizations promoting African American culture and Detroit community. Vaughn...

Scope and Content The NAACP Detroit Branch Photographs document the activities of the organization and its members throughout the mid-century. Topics include the annual Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner; the Awards Night Program; membership drives; committee activities; demonstrations against school segregation and housing discrimination, as well as special events and meetings. Also included are biographical files of members and affiliates of the Detroit Branch. Of interest, the photos chronicle the longstanding...