Clarke Historical Library

10/22/2026

Join us on, October 27, as we welcome Dr. Catherine Cangany for her presentation, "Ruthless Ingenuity: Detroit's Purple Gang."

Jewish mobsters ran Detroit during Prohibition (1920-1933). Known for shocking violence and vicious turf wars, the untouchable Purples were also emblematic of the Detroit neighborhood they called home: scrappy, resourceful, innovative, and proudly Jewish. And yet, the Purples remained sharply at odds with local Jewish communities, which endured shame and retaliatory antisemitism for the Purples' actions in Detroit and mid-Michigan.

This program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7:00 pm on October 20 in the Central Michigan University Libraries Opperman Auditorium.

Photo of an article titled, "Purple Gang Returns to Wreak Terrorism" from the Sept. 19, 1931 Detroit Free Press.

10/20/2026

Today is a day to celebrate the written word -- it's the !

Pictured are documents from the Memering Papers in the Clarke, including an article entitled, "W. Dean Memering of CMU evaluates freshman writing" and Prof. Memering's bibliography on writing for his English 601 class.

10/20/2026

Join us on tonight, October 20, as we welcome Prof. Anne Ruggles Gere for her presentation, "How Indigenous Women Teachers Helped Boarding School Students Resist Assimilation."

Drawing on her recent book, "Agents of Survivance: Indigenous Women Teachers in the Boarding School Era," as well as her research on the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School, Dr. Gere adds a new dimension to received accounts of boarding schools by focusing on the contributions of Indigenous women teachers. While acknowledging the many challenges they faced, she identifies specific practices and principles that Indigenous women teachers employed to facilitate survivance among their students.

This program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7:00 pm on October 20 in the Central Michigan University Libraries Opperman Auditorium.

University of Michigan Marsal Family School of Education

10/18/2026

10/16/2026

Join us on Tuesday, October 20, as we welcome Prof. Anne Ruggles Gere for her presentation, "How Indigenous Women Teachers Helped Boarding School Students Resist Assimilation."

Drawing on her recent book, "Agents of Survivance: Indigenous Women Teachers in the Boarding School Era," as well as her research on the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School, Dr. Gere adds a new dimension to received accounts of boarding schools by focusing on the contributions of Indigenous women teachers. While acknowledging the many challenges they faced, she identifies specific practices and principles that Indigenous women teachers employed to facilitate survivance among their students.

This program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7:00 pm on October 20 in the Central Michigan University Libraries Opperman Auditorium.

University of Michigan Marsal Family School of Education

10/13/2026

Join us on Tuesday, October 20, as we welcome Prof. Anne Ruggles Gere for her presentation, "How Indigenous Women Teachers Helped Boarding School Students Resist Assimilation."

Drawing on her recent book, "Agents of Survivance: Indigenous Women Teachers in the Boarding School Era," as well as her research on the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School, Dr. Gere adds a new dimension to received accounts of boarding schools by focusing on the contributions of Indigenous women teachers. While acknowledging the many challenges they faced, she identifies specific practices and principles that Indigenous women teachers employed to facilitate survivance among their students.

This program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7:00 pm on October 20 in the Central Michigan University Libraries Opperman Auditorium. University of Michigan Marsal Family School of Education

10/12/2026

Across the Great Lakes region, multiple sovereign Tribal Nations entered into treaties with the US Government. The terms of these legally binding documents are at the heart of how Tribal communities interact with the US Government today. On this , take a moment to learn about the history of these treaties and the ongoing impacts.

https://www.cmich.edu/research/clarke-historical-library/explore-collection/explore-online/native-american-material/native-american-treaty-rights/native-treaties---shared-rights-exhibit

Image is a lithograph of J.O. Lewis's painting, "View of the great treaty held at Prarie du Chien September 1825 at which upward's of 5000 Indian Warriors of the Chippeways, Sioux, Sacs & Foxes, Winnebagoes, Pottowattomies, Menomonies, Ioways & Ottowas tribes were present, Gov. Lewis Cass of Michigan and Wm. Clark of Missouri, Commissioners on the part of the United States."

10/09/2026

Carrie Marsh, the director of the Clarke Historical Library, recently announced her upcoming retirement.

“During her leadership as director of the Clarke Historical Library, Carrie has played a key role in building our collections, improving and expanding access, and raising the profile of the Clarke," said Larry J. Wagenaar, president of the Clarke Historical Library Board of Governors.

The staff of the Clarke extend our sincere appreciation to Carrie for her years of outstanding service as the Clarke's director, and we wish her the best as she embarks upon this new chapter!

Read more on CMU's website: https://www.cmich.edu/news/details/director-of-the-clarke-historical-library-announces-retirement

10/09/2026

We're fired up for fall at CMU! There's no better spot to catch the changing colors than our beautiful campus, as seen here in front of Warriner Hall, 2008.

10/06/2026

Today is ! If you are looking for a deal on tacos, step back in time to January 1972 and head over to Ole Taco in Mt. Pleasant, which was feeding the students of Central Michigan University with 5 tacos for $1!

Photo shows an advertisement from the January 31, 1972 Central Michigan Life student newspaper for Ole Tacos.