University of Detroit Mercy Special Collections

An Historical Exploration of Father Charles E. Coughlin's Influence

Digital Collection

Among the first public figures to utilize the immense power of the nation's passion for radio, Fr. Charles Edward Coughlin reached a broad ecumenical audience during the 1930s. By the height of his popularity in 1932, Coughlin reached a potential audience of some 40 million people. Though a critic of the forces of mass consumer culture around him, he ironically used the first national network to distribute his political and economic views.

Black Abolitionist Archive

Digital Collection

From the 1820s to the Civil War, African Americans assumed prominent roles in the transatlantic struggle to abolish slavery. In contrast to the popular belief that the abolitionist crusade was driven by wealthy whites, some 300 black abolitionists were regularly involved in the antislavery movement, heightening its credibility and broadening its agenda. The Black Abolitionist Digital Archive is a collection of over 800 speeches by antebellum blacks and approximately 1,000 editorials from the period.

Celebrating Scholarly Achievement

Digital Collection

The Celebration of Scholarly Achivement is a combination of what where previously two annual events -- the Celebration of Faculty Authors, which was started in 2005, and the Faculty & Student Research Symposium and Poster Fair, which began in 2006. This event highlights the scholarly achievements of both students and faculty.

Commencement Collection

Digital Collection

Explore programs from University of Detroit, Mercy College of Detroit, and University of Detroit Mercy commencements. This collection is currently being broadened to include articles, images, and other memorabilia related to these events.

Dichotomy: School of Architecture Student Journal

Since 1978, Dichotomy has been a repository of academic discourse from students and professors as well as luminaries in the fields of architecture and design.  Each issue focuses on a simple yet provocative theme around which articles and featured projects are curated.

Dudley Randall Broadside Press Collection

Print Collection

A collection of books and broadsides written by, and about Dudley Randall and Broadside Press Publication accessible by appointment only.

Fr. Edward J. Dowling, S.J. Marine Historical Collection

Digital Collection

The Fr. Edward J. Dowling, S.J. Marine Historical Collection, which was donated to the University of Detroit Mercy in 1993, is considered one of the most complete private collections of information on the subject of Great Lakes marine history.  The collection consists of close to 58,000 photographs, plastic and glass negatives, postcards, color plates, sketches, and paintings, as well as detailed information on nearly every commercial ship that sailed the Great Lakes since 1850.

James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Lawrence DeVine Playbill Collection

Print Collection

Playbills, books, and other media from across the U.S. and Canada gathered during his 1968-1998 tenure as Detroit Free Press theater critic. Accessible by appointment only.

Marie Corelli Collection

Print Collection

Letters of a British novelist running from 1906 to 1923. These are primarily to her close acquaintances, the Severn family. Accessible by appointment only.

Maurice Greenia, Jr. Collections

Digital Collection

Maurice Greenia, Jr. is a native Detroit artist whose work grows out of the city; he lives in the artistic center of Detroit -- the Cass Corridor. Thousands of people see his work every year, but many do not know the artist nor the multitude of formats in which he works. This site is aimed at the preservation of his work, some of which cannot be physically preserved, and is viewable only in photographs; the chalk drawings on the old Hudson's Building being a prime example of work preserved only photographically. Browse through the site a

Sisters of Mercy Collection

Digital Collection

A brief history of one of the University's sponsoring institutions, the Sisters of Mercy. Included is an introduction by Gilmary Bauer, RSM and a two part video series describing the history and persons that have shaped the Sisters of Mercy. The QuickTime player is needed for viewing the video potions of the material.

Society of Jesus Publications

Print Collection

A list of publications about the Society of Jesus owned by the University of Detroit Mercy and available in the McNichols Campus Library stacks.

Thesis Collections

Digital Collection

The University of Detroit Mercy Libraries/Instructional Design Studio present these bachelors and masters theses as fulfillment of students' requirements for graduation. The theses reflect the research, analysis, creative interpretation, and writing of the respective students. The University of Detroit Mercy accepts these theses as the original work of each student without endorsement of any specific theories, themes, architecture structure or creative interpretation.

University Archives

Print Collection

This collection of archives contains records, publications, and audio-visual materials of three institutions. Some records remain in the confidential files with permission for access determined by the President of the University.

University honors

Digital Collection

The University of Detroit Mercy presents here a record of the honorary degrees conferred by the University of Detroit, Mercy College of Detroit, and the University of Detroit Mercy. It provides a record of whom and what these institutions chose to honor over the last 100 years.

University of Detroit Football Collection

Digital Collection

The University of Detroit football program began in 1896 and concluded in 1964. This growing collection currently consists of programs dating from the 1930s through the 1950s.

University of Detroit Yearbook Collection

Digital Collection

Yearbooks represent a history of university organizations, activities, athletics, faculty, and graduates of the specified year as prepared from the perspective of students. The intent of this yearbook database is to preserve the history of the university, to make this unique material more accessible to everyone, and to give alumni an opportunity to sit back and remember the good times and exceptional education they received from this esteemed University.

Varsity News

For more than nine decades, The Varsity News has captured the pulse of our campuses. The student-run newspaper began publishing in 1918, and continues to this day. This archive brings together more than one thousand issues, representing most of those years.

[SIC] Student Arts Journal

UDM’s irreverent, profound, and visually innovative undergraduate arts journal. Established in 1992, [sic] is published annually by the English Department’s Dudley Randall Center for Print Culture. The journal is edited and designed by students and features photography, fine art, poetry, fiction, and prose. Its mission: giving voice and vision to UDM’s exceptionally creative student body.

DALNET Digital Projects

The DALNET libraries serve many different user groups. Their collections include instructional materials, rich cultural heritage resources and collections of unique one-of-a-kind objects.