Detroit, Michigan, attorney, Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1955-1974, and member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Congressional papers, arranged by term, include legislative files, bills files, topical files, schedules, sound recordings, photographs, motion pictures, and scrapbooks. The collection details relationship with colleagues and constituents and pertains to committee activities, legislation sponsored, and issues of the day. Topics of interest include civil rights, the war in Vietnam, Sleeping Bear Dunes, the humane slaughtering of animals, the economy and the fiscal policy of the federal government, women's rights, the Equal Rights Amendment, economic problems of women, and the need for national health insurance legislation.
Call number: 851378 Aa 2 Language: The materials are in English. Repository: Bentley Historical Library
1150 Beal Ave. Ann Arbor, MI
48109-2113 Phone:
734-764-3482 Fax:
734-936-1333 e-mail:
bentley.ref@umich.edu Home Page: http://www.bentley.umich.edu/
Finding aid prepared by: Bentley Historical Library staff
Access and Use
Acquisition Information:
The collection was received in several accessions between 1962 and 1975 from Martha W. Griffiths (donor 3871).
Access Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
The collection contains audio tapes from which digital copies have been made. Source tapes are for staff use only. Audio files are only available in the Bentley Historical Library reading room on designated Bentley Library computers.
To protect fragile audiovisual recordings (such as audio cassettes, film reels, and VHS tapes), the Bentley Historical Library has a policy of converting them to digital formats by a professional vendor whenever a researcher requests access. For more information, please see: http://bentley.umich.edu/research/duplication/.
Copyright:
Donor(s) have not transferred any applicable copyright to the Regents of the University of Michigan. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials.
Alternate Format:
The 16mm films and two-inch videotapes in the collection were digitized in 2009 as part of a library video preservation project. Preservation master beta tapes for all titles and high resolution digital files of some titles were created along with DVD and streaming files for all titles. The DVDs are available for use in the library. A selection of the streaming files may be available online at a given time, others can be mounted on request.
Digitization: The Library has undertaken the digitization of a number of sound recordings within this collection. The resulting audio files are available for playback only in the Bentley Library Reading Room. Links to item images and additional information are available within this finding aid. Original sound recordings are only available for staff use.
Preferred Citation:
item, folder title, box no., Martha Wright Griffiths Papers, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
Biography
Martha W. Griffiths was born in Pierce City, Missouri in 1912. She received her A.B. from the University of Missouri in 1934 and her J.D. degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1940. She began practicing law in 1941 but soon turned her attention to Michigan politics (where she had moved) and began seeking public office. She was a member of the Michigan State Legislature from 1948 to 1952, a judge of Detroit's Recorder's Court, 1953 to 1954, and from 1955 to 1974, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Following her retirement from the House, Griffiths continued in her advocacy of women's issues, particularly the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1982, she was elected to the office of Lieutenant Governor of Michigan where she served with Governor James Blanchard. She was re-elected in 1986, but was not renominated in 1990. As the Martha Griffiths papers consists solely of files created when serving within the Congress, this biographical note will emphasize Griffiths' service and contributions within that body.
Griffiths represented the people of the seventeenth congressional district of Michigan for ten terms, the 84th through the 93rd Congress. Her first assignments were on the Banking and Currency Committee and the Government Operations Committee. In 1961, she was appointed a member of the Joint Economic Committee of the House and the Senate, which was an advisory group to the Congress similar to the President's Council of Economic Advisors. Within this group, Griffiths was named chair of the Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy. In 1962, Griffiths was elected a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, then under the chairmanship of Wilbur Mills. The Ways and Means Committee was responsible for financial bills, including those relating to federal tax policy.
In Congress, Griffiths was an ardent Democrat and supporter of legislation aimed at improving education, health, conservation, and social security benefits. Griffiths also championed women's issues. She sought through legislation to remove inequities in the payment of social security benefits and other government programs. And from 1959 until her retirement from office, she sponsored a resolution in the House proposing an equal rights amendment to the Constitution.
Collection Scope and Content Note
The Griffiths collection consists primarily of correspondence exchanged with constituents and lobbying groups on matters of pending or proposed legislation and on topics of current interest. The collection's great value is its documentation of the workings of this one congressional office and its perspective on the issues confronting the nation in the period of 1955 to 1974. With the Democrats in control of the Congress, these years witnessed legislative efforts to use the power of the Federal Government to rectify the ills of society on matters of civil rights, assistance to the poor, health care for the aged, environmental protection, and so forth. It was also a time of strife in society resulting from the war in Vietnam, tension among the races, and the Watergate crisis. The Griffiths collection documents these issues with letters from constituents and her response to the concerns of the people.
Beyond general issues, the Griffiths papers have importance for their documentation of the specific contribution of this one woman member of Congress, who served for twenty years, and who was rewarded by her colleagues with increasingly responsible committee positions. Especially significant was her appointment to the powerful Ways and Means Committee under the chairmanship of Wilbur Mills. Griffiths' files from her work on W and Means Committee detail the major pieces of tax reform legislation of the 1960s, notably Griffiths' efforts to legislate some equity into the benefits accorded to American women.
The Martha W. Griffiths papers, with few exceptions, have been maintained in the arrangement scheme used by the Griffiths office.
Subject Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the finding aid database and catalog of The Bentley Historical Library/University of Michigan. Researchers desiring additional information about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.
Animal industry -- Law and legislation -- United States.
Busing for school integration -- Michigan.
Civil rights -- United States.
Equal Rights Amendments -- United States.
Fiscal policy -- United States.
Legislators -- United States.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1951-
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1946-1960.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1961-1970.
Michigan -- Politics and government -- 1971-1980.
National health insurance -- Law and legislation -- United States.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (Mich.)
Social security -- Law and legislation -- United States.
Taxation -- Law and legislation -- United States.
United States -- Economic policy.
United States -- Politics and government -- 1945-1989.
Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975 -- Public opinion -- Michigan.
Women legislators -- United States.
Women's rights -- United States.
Women.
Equal Rights Amendments -- United States.
Insurance, Health -- United States.
Sex discrimination -- Law and legislation -- United States.
Women's rights -- United States.
Motion pictures.
Photographs.
Sound recordings.
Democratic Party (Mich.)
United States. Congress. House.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Banking and Currency.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Operations.
United States. Congress. House. Committee on Ways and Means.
Griffiths, Martha W. (Martha Wright), 1912-2003.
Tufty, Esther Van Wagoner, -1986.
United States. Congress. House.
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Death and burial.
Curtis, Carl T. (Carl Thomas), 1905-2000.
DuPont, Pierre Samuel, 1935-
Hayward, Charles F.
Mink, Patsy T., 1927-2002.
George, Emily.
Contents List
Request materials for use in the Bentley Library
Container / Location
Title
Biographical/Background Information [series]
The collection begins with a small series of Biographical/Background Information that including some of the newsletters put out by Griffiths while a member of Congress.
Box 1
Miscellaneous, including scattering of newsletters
(3 folders)
Congressional Papers 1955-1974 [series]
Congressional Papers make up the great bulk of the collection. This series is divided into subseries for each two-year congressional term (84th Congress, etc.) and then subdivided into the following sub-subseries: Legislative Files, Bills Files, and Topical Files. For Griffiths' first two terms in Congress, however, because of the relative paucity of materials, these three sequences of material have been combined into one.
The Legislative Files sub-subseries is arranged alphabetically by committee name. The most voluminous files are for those committees on which Griffiths served, especially Ways and Means. The files are further divided by topic, usually a specific piece of legislation then under discussion within that committee's responsibility. These subdivisions have not been listed within this finding aid. The files consist of correspondence between Griffiths and her constituents or other parties interested in the legislation. Some of the larger files have been sampled because of the sameness of the letters received and of Griffiths' response.
The Bills Files sub-subseries consists of files for those pieces of legislation either introduced by Griffiths or of which she was a co-sponsor. Although there is also much constituent correspondence here, the files are more substantive than the Legislative files in that they show the development of the legislation. The files usually include a copy of the bill and related background information. The Bills file for the 92nd Congress has not been received by the library.
The Topical Files sub-subseries is an alphabetically arranged sequence of materials relating to issues, government departments, or individuals. The sub-subseries does not pertain to specific legislation but is a more general file for constituent expressions of complaint or concern. Some of the larger files pertain to issues of race relations, busing, the war in Vietnam, the contemplated impeachment of President Nixon, women's issues, such as the Equal Rights Amendment, and Griffiths' interest in a national health insurance plan.
84th Congress 1955-1956 [subseries]
Box 1
Agriculture
Box 1
Atomic Energy Commission
Box 1
Awards
Box 1
Bureau of the Census
Box 1
Coast Guard
Box 1
Comments-Newsletter
Box 1
Comments-Radio
Box 1
Comments-Television
Box 1
Congressional Record (Extension of remarks)
Box 1
Democratic National Committee
Box 1
Democratic Party, Michigan
Box 1
Education
Box 1
Food and Drug Administration
Foreign Affairs
Box 1
General
Box 1
Israel
Box 1
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
Box 1
General
(7 folders)
Box 1
Highlights of 1956
Box 1
Hoover Commission
Box 1
Hospitals (Hill-Burton)
Box 1
Housing
Box 1
Humane slaughter legislation
Box 1
Labor
Box 1
Libraries
Box 1
Polio
Box 1
Publicity (correspondence) from radio, television, press
Box 1
Radio scripts
(4 folders)
Box 2
Retarded children
Box 2
Small business
Box 2
Small Business Administration
Box 2
Tacan (military short-range navigation system)
Box 2
Taxes
Box 2
Television
Box 2
Trade survey
Box 2
Un-American Activities Committee
Box 2
United Nations
Box 2
Veterans affairs
Box 2
Williams, G. Mennen
85th Congress 1957-1958 [subseries]
Box 2
Congressional Record (Extension of remarks)
Box 2
Highlights of 1957
Box 2
Highlights of 1958
Box 2
Humane slaughter legislation
Box 2
Justice Dept
Box 2
Radio scripts
(2 folders)
Box 2
Speeches
Box 2
Stevens, Christine
Box 2
Williams, G. Mennen
86th Congress 1959-1960 [subseries]
Legislative files (mainly arranged by committee)
Box 2
Agriculture (food stamps)
Banking and Currency
Box 2
Emergency Community Facilities Act
Box 2
Housing Act of 1960
Box 2
Mortgage discounts)
Education and Labor
Box 2
Library Service bill
Box 2
Nursing
Box 2
Interior and Insular Affairs (proposed Huron Mountain National Park)
Box 2
Judiciary (anti-bombing legislation)
Box 2
Rivers and Harbors (Trenton Channel Improvement Project)
Box 2
Rules (authorizing the Banking and Currency Committee to investigate the rising cost of living)
Topical files
Box 2
Agriculture Dept
Box 2
Airlines
Box 2
Civil Aeronautics Board
Box 2
Colleagues (communications with)
Box 2
Congratulations (1960 campaign)
Box 3
Congressional Record statements
Box 3
Defense contracts
Box 3
Democratic Study Group
Box 3
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Box 3
Government contracts
Box 3
Health, Education, and Welfare Dept
Box 3
Highlights of 1959
(2 folders)
Box 3
Highlights of 1960
(3 folders)
Box 3
Humane slaughter legislation
Box 3
Justice Dept
Box 3
Legislative record
(2 folders)
Box 3
Michigan politics
Box 3
Olympics (Detroit as proposed site in 1964)
Box 3
Questionnaires
Box 3
Radio scripts
Box 3
River Rouge Flood Project
Box 3
States rights
Box 3
Surplus food
Box 3
Treasury Dept. (Coast Guard)
Box 3
Williams, G. Mennen
87th Congress 1961-1962 [subseries]
Legislative files (mainly arranged by committee)
Box 3
General
Box 3
Agriculture
Box 3
Appropriations
Box 4
Armed Services
Box 4
Atomic Energy (Joint Committee)
Box 4
Banking and Currency
Box 4
District of Columbia
Box 4
Education and Labor
Box 4
Foreign Affairs
Box 5
Government Operations
Box 5
House (organization of)
Box 5
House Administration Committee
Box 5
Interior and Insular Affairs (include Sleeping Bear Dunes legislation)
Box 5
Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Box 5
Judiciary
Box 5
Merchant Marines and Fisheries
Box 6
Post Office and Civil Service
Box 6
Public Works
Box 6
Rules
Box 6
Science and Astronautics
Box 6
Un-American Activities
Box 6
Veterans Affairs
Box 6
Ways and Means
Box 7
Ways and Means
Box 8
Ways and Means
(continued)
Box 9
Ways and Means
Box 9
Joint Economic Committee
Box 10
Bills introduced by MWG
(arranged by bill or resolution number)
Topical files
Box 10
Accomplishments
Box 10
Agriculture Dept.
(2 folders)
Box 10
Central Intelligence Agency
Box 10
Civil Aeronautics Board
Box 10
Civil Rights
Box 10
Club memberships
Box 10
Colleagues (communications with)
(2 folders)
Box 11
Commerce Dept.
(2 folders)
Box 11
Committee on Committees
Box 11
Council of Economic Advisors
Defense Dept.
Box 11
General
Box 11
Army reorganization (move of army installation out of Michigan)
Box 11
Civil Defense
(2 folders)
Box 11
Government contracts
Box 11
Reserve call-up
Box 11
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Box 11
Democratic National Committee
Box 11
Detroit
Box 11
District of Columbia
Box 11
Executive Branch
Box 11
Federal Aviation Agency
Box 11
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Box 11
Federal Communications Commission
Box 11
Federal Housing Administration
Box 11
Federal Trade Commission
Box 11
Food and Drug Administration
(2 folders)
Box 11
Foreign Affairs
Box 11
Foreign Policy
Box 11
General Services Administration
Box 11
Government Contracts
(3 folders)
Box 11
Health, Education and Welfare Dept
Box 11
Highlights
Box 11
House, Organization of
(2 folders)
Box 11
Housing and Home Finance Agency
Box 11
Interior Dept
Box 11
Interstate Commerce Dept
Box 12
Justice Dept
Box 12
Labor Dept.
(2 folders)
Box 12
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Box 12
National Guard
Box 12
National Rivers and Harbors Congress
Box 12
Navy Dept
Box 12
Newsletters (comments about)
Box 12
Peace Corps
Box 12
Politics
Box 12
Post Office
Box 12
President's Committee on Juvenile Delinquency
Box 12
Radio scripts
Box 12
Resolutions
(3 folders)
Box 12
Securities and Exchange Commission
Box 12
Small Business Administration
Box 12
State Dept.
(2 folders)
Box 12
State (Michigan) matters
Topical Files
Box 12
Statements
Box 12
Treasury Dept
Box 12
Unemployment
Box 12
U. S. Tariff Commission
Box 12
White House
88th Congress 1963-1964 [subseries]
Legislative files
(mainly arranged by committee)
Box 12
Agriculture
Box 12
Appropriations
Box 13
Armed Services
Box 13
Atomic Energy
Box 13
Banking and Currency
Box 13
District of Columbia
Box 13
Education and Labor
Box 13
Foreign Affairs
Box 13
Government Operations
Box 13
House (Organization of)
Box 13
Interior and Insular Affairs (include Sleeping Bear Dunes legislation)
Box 14
Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Box 14
Judiciary
Box 14
Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Box 14
Post Office and Civil Service
Box 14
Public Works
Box 14
Rules
Box 14
Science and Astronautics
Box 14
Small Business
Box 14
Veterans Affairs
Box 15
Ways and Means
Box 16
Ways and Means
Box 16
Joint Economic Committee
(include Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy, and Subcommittee on Inter-American Economic Relationships)
Box 17
Bills introduced by MWG
Topical files
Box 17
Agriculture Dept
Box 17
Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
Box 17
Atomic Energy Commission
Box 17
Civil Aeronautics Board
Box 17
Civil Rights (include Civil Rights Bill)
(2 folders)
Box 18
Civil Service Commission
Box 18
Coast Guard
Box 18
Colleagues (communications with)
(2 folders)
Box 18
Comments and views of MWG
Box 18
Comments and views of constituents
(2 folders)
Box 18
Commerce Dept.
(2 folders)
Box 18
Committee on Committees
Defense Dept.
Box 18
General
Box 18
Civil Defense
(2 folders)
Box 18
Government contracts
Box 18
Democratic National Committee
Box 18
Democratic Study Group
Detroit
Box 18
General
Box 18
Mayor
Box 18
Special Youth Employment Project
Box 18
District of Columbia
Box 18
Executive Branch
Box 18
Federal Aviation Agency
Box 18
Federal Communications Commission
Box 18
Federal Housing Administration
Box 18
Federal Trade Commission
Box 18
Fitzgerald, Earl
Box 18
Food and Drug Administration
(2 folders)
Box 18
Foreign Aid
Box 18
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
Box 18
Foreign Policy
Box 18
General Services Administration
Box 18
Governor (Michigan)
Box 18
Health, Education and Welfare Dept
Box 18
Interior Dept
Box 18
Interstate Commerce Dept
Box 18
Justice Dept
Box 18
Labor Dept
Box 18
Legislative Branch
Box 19
Local (Michigan) matters
Box 19
Michigan Legislature
Box 19
Michigan politics
Box 19
Michigan state offices
Box 19
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Box 19
National Labor Relations Board
Box 19
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
Box 19
Newsletters (comments about)
Box 19
Peace Corps
Box 19
President's Death
Box 19
Public Housing Administration
Box 19
Re-apportionment
Box 19
Resolutions
Box 19
Securities and Exchange Commission
Box 19
Small Business Administration
Box 19
State Dept
Box 19
Supreme Court
Box 19
Treasury Dept
Box 19
Unemployment
Box 19
United Nations
Box 19
White House
89th Congress 1965-1966 [subseries]
Legislative files
(mainly arranged by committee)
Box 19
Agriculture
Box 20
Appropriations
Box 20
Armed Services
Box 20
Banking and Currency
Box 20
District of Columbia
Box 20
Education and Labor
Box 20
Foreign Affairs
Box 20
Government Operations
Box 20
House Administration
Box 20
Interior and Insular Affairs (include Sleeping Bear Dunes legislation)
Box 20
Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Box 21
Judiciary (include Civil Rights Bill)
Box 21
Post Office and Civil Service
Box 21
Public Works
Box 21
Rules
Box 21
Science and Astronautics
Box 21
Un-American Activities
Box 21
Veterans Affairs
Box 21
Ways and Means
Box 22
Ways and Means
Box 23
Ways and Means
Box 24
Joint Economic Committee
Box 24
General
Box 24
Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy
Box 24
Bills introduced by MWG
Topical Files
Box 24
Agriculture Dept
Box 24
Architect of the Capitol
Box 24
Atomic Energy Commission
Box 24
Car Pricing
Box 24
Civil Rights
(2 folders)
Box 25
Colleagues (communications with)
Box 25
Commerce Dept
Box 25
Committee on Committees
(3 folders)
Box 25
Defense Dept.
Box 25
Democratic National Committee
Box 25
Democratic Study Group
Box 25
Detroit
Box 25
Economic questions
Box 25
Executive Branch
Box 25
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Box 25
Federal Communications Commission
Box 25
Federal Power Commission
Box 25
Federal Reserve Board
Box 25
Federal Trade Commission
Box 25
Food and Drug Administration
Box 25
Foreign Aid
Box 25
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
Box 25
Foreign Policy-Vietnam
(2 folders)
Box 25
Griffiths, Hicks
Box 25
Health, Education and Welfare Dept
Box 25
Housing and Home Finance Agency
Box 25
Housing and Urban Development Dept
Box 25
Indian Claims Commission
Box 25
Inflation
Box 26
Interior Dept
Box 26
Justice Dept
Labor Dept
Box 26
General
Box 26
Manpower Training
Box 26
Liuzzo, Viola
Box 26
Michigan Legislature
Box 26
Michigan Unemployment Commission
Box 26
Office of Economic Opportunity
Box 26
President's Poverty Program
Box 26
Social Security (inequities in benefits for women)
(2 folders)
Box 26
State Dept
Box 26
Statements issued by MWG
Box 26
Supreme Court
Box 26
United Nations
Box 26
Women (discrimination of)
90th Congress 1967-1968 [subseries]
Legislative files
(mainly arranged by committee)
Box 26
Agriculture
Box 26
Appropriations
Box 26
Armed Services
Box 26
Banking and Currency
Box 27
District of Columbia
Box 27
Education and Labor
Box 27
Foreign Affairs
Box 27
Government Operations
Box 27
Interior and Insular Affairs
Box 27
Judiciary
Box 27
Merchant Marines and Fisheries
Box 27
Post Office and Civil Service
Box 27
Public Works
Box 27
Rules
Box 27
Science and Astronautics
Box 27
Small Business
Box 27
Un-American Activities
Box 28
Veterans Affairs
Box 28
Ways and Means
Box 29
Ways and Means
Box 29
Bills introduced by MWG
Topical Files
Box 29
Aid to Dependent Children
Box 29
Agriculture Dept.
(2 folders)
Box 29
Anderson, Dr. Norma
Box 29
Atomic Energy Commission
Box 29
Campaign 1968
(2 folders)
Box 29
Carmichael, Stokely
Box 29
Census and surveys (various)
Box 29
Census (protesting questions to be asked in 1970)
Civil Rights
Box 29
General
Box 29
Opening housing
Box 30
Colleagues (communications with)
Box 30
Commerce Dept
Box 30
Committee on Committees
Box 30
Crime
Box 30
Cuba
Box 30
Defense Dept.
Box 30
Democratic Convention
Box 30
Democratic National Committee
Box 30
Democratic (17th District Democratic Party
Detroit
Box 30
General
Box 30
Detroit Riot
Box 30
Education
Box 30
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Box 30
Executive Branch
Box 30
Extremist groups
Box 30
Federal Communications Commission
Box 30
Federal Trade Commission
Box 30
Food and Drug Administration
Box 30
Foreign Aid
Box 30
Foreign Claims Settlement Commission
Foreign Policy
Box 30
General
Box 30
Biafra
Box 30
Middle East
Box 30
Vietnam
(2 folders)
Box 30
Government Operations
Box 30
Government spending
Box 30
Health, Education and Welfare Dept
Box 31
Housing and Urban Development
Box 31
Interior Dept
Box 31
Justice Dept
Box 31
King, Martin Luther
Box 31
Labor Dept
Box 31
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Box 31
National Organization for Women
Box 31
Newspaper strikes
Box 31
Poverty Program
Box 31
Powell, Adam Clayton
Box 31
Public debt
Box 31
Questionnaire
Box 31
Statements of MWG
Box 31
Subversive Activities Control Board
Box 31
Supreme Court
Box 31
Teachers' strike
Box 31
Tennessee Valley Authority
Box 31
Transportation Dept
Treasury Dept
Box 31
General
Box 31
Bureau of Customs
Box 31
Wage-price controls
Box 31
Women-Discrimination
91st Congress 1969-1970 [subseries]
Legislative files
(mainly arranged by committee)
Box 31
Agriculture
Box 31
Appropriations
Box 32
Armed Services
Box 32
Banking and Currency
Box 32
District of Columbia
Box 32
Education and Labor
Box 32
Foreign Affairs
Box 32
Government Operations
Box 32
House Administration
Box 32
Interior and Insular Affairs
Box 32
Internal Security
Box 32
Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Box 32
Judiciary
Box 32
Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Box 32
Post Office and Civil Service
Box 33
Public Works
Box 33
Rules
Box 33
Science and Astronautics
Box 33
Veterans Affairs
Box 33
Ways and Means
Box 34
Ways and Means
Joint Economic Committee
Box 34
General
Box 34
Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy
Box 34
Subcommittee on Economy in Government
Box 35
Bills introduced by MWG
Box 36
Bills introduced by MWG
(continued)
Topical Files
Box 36
Abortion
Box 36
Agency for International Development
Box 36
Agnew, Spiro
Box 36
Agriculture Dept
Box 36
Aid to Dependent Children
Box 36
Air and water pollution
Box 36
Armaments
Box 36
Atomic Energy Commission
Box 36
Automobile companies
Box 36
Automobile safety
Box 36
Blacks
Box 36
Cabinet appointments
Box 36
Census reform and surveys
Box 36
Chalmers, Gladys
Box 36
Chemical and poison gas
Box 36
Civil Rights
Box 36
Civil Service
Box 36
Colleagues (communications with)
Commerce Dept
Box 36
General
Box 36
Smith, Gerald L.K
Box 36
Committee on Committees
Box 36
Congressional (declaration of war)
Box 36
Congressional Record inserts
Box 36
Consumer legislation
Box 36
Corps of Engineers
Box 36
Crime
Box 37
Crockett, Judge George
Box 37
Day-Care Centers
Box 37
Daylight saving time
Box 37
Defense Dept.
Box 37
Democratic National Committee
Detroit
Box 37
General
Box 37
School redistricting
Box 37
Schools (burning of flags, separatist flags)
Box 37
Dow Chemical
Box 37
Draft deferments (podiatry)
Box 37
Drugs
Box 37
Education
Box 37
Election reforms
Box 37
Environmental pollution
Box 37
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Box 37
Executive Branch
Box 37
Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Communications Commission
Box 37
General
Box 37
Pay-TV
Box 37
Federal Home Loan Bank Board
Box 37
Federal Housing Administration
Box 37
Federal pay raises
Box 37
Federal Reserve System
Box 37
Federal Trade Commission
Box 37
Food and Drug Administration
Box 37
Foreign Aid
Foreign Policy
Box 37
General
Box 37
Biafra
Box 37
Cambodia
(2 folders)
Box 37
Laos
Box 37
Middle East
Box 37
Pueblo seizure
Box 37
Vietnam
(2 folders)
Box 37
Governor (Michigan)
Box 37
Gun control
Box 37
Health, Education and Welfare Dept
Box 37
Hoffa, James
Box 37
Housing and Urban Development
Box 37
Hunger
Box 38
Immigration Service
Box 38
Indians
Box 38
Inflation
Box 38
Interest rates
Box 38
Interior Dept
Box 38
Interstate Commerce Commission
Internal Revenue Service
Box 38
General
Box 38
Data Processing Center in Detroit
Box 38
Job Corps
Box 38
Justice Dept
Box 38
Labor Dept
Box 38
Lowering voting age
Box 38
Michigan government
Box 38
Migrant workers
Box 38
Missile base (Oakland County)
Box 38
Municipal taxes
Box 38
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Box 38
National Health Insurance
(9 folders)
Box 38
National Institutes of Health
Box 38
Nike site (Detroit)
Box 38
Open Housing
Box 38
Office of Economic Opportunity
Box 38
Parochiaid
Box 38
Patent Office
Box 38
Peace Corps
Box 38
Penn Central
Box 38
Pollution
Box 38
Powell, Adam Clayton
Box 38
Public Health Service
Box 38
Purdue (MWG as possible nominee for president of Purdue)
Treasury Dept.; include Bureau of Customs
(2 folders)
Box 39
United Nations
Box 39
United States Information Agency
Box 39
University of Michigan (disruption of speech by hecklers)
Box 39
Vietnam massacre
Box 39
Vocational rehabilitation
Box 39
Wayne State University
Box 39
Welfare
Box 39
Whip position
Box 39
White House Conference on Children and Youth
Box 39
Women-Discrimination
92nd Congress 1971-1972 [subseries]
Legislative files
(mainly arranged by committee)
Box 40
Agriculture
Box 40
Appropriations
Box 40
Armed Services
Box 40
Banking and Currency
Box 40
District of Columbia
Box 40
Education and Labor
Box 40
Foreign Affairs
Box 40
Government Operations
Box 40
House Administration
Box 40
Interior and Insular Affairs
Box 40
Internal Security
Box 40
Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Box 41
Judiciary
Box 41
Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Box 41
Post Office and Civil Service
Box 41
Public Works
Box 41
Rules
Box 41
Science and Astronautics
Box 41
Veterans Affairs
Box 41
Ways and Means
Box 42
Ways and Means
Box 42
[Bills introduced by MWG (files not received)]
Topical Files
Box 42
Abortion
Box 42
Aid to Dependent Children
Box 42
Agriculture Dept
Box 42
Air and water pollution
Box 42
Apter, Dr. Julia
Box 42
Army (Col. Herbert charges of war crimes)
Box 42
Atomic Energy Commission
Box 42
Automobile companies
Box 42
Busing
(13 folders)
Box 43
Calley, Lt. William
Box 43
Campaign
(2 folders)
Box 43
Civil Aeronautics Board
Box 43
Civil Service
Box 43
Colleagues (communications with)
Box 43
Comments and views of MWG
Box 43
Commerce Dept
Box 43
Committee on Committees
Box 43
Conference Committee
Box 43
Congressional Record inserts
Box 43
Crime
Box 43
Defense Dept.
Box 43
Democratic National Committee
Box 43
Detroit Public Health Hospital
Box 43
Detroit schools
Box 43
Douglas (William O.) impeachment
Box 43
Drugs
Box 43
Education
Box 43
Electoral College Reform
Box 43
Environmental pollution
Box 43
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Box 43
Extremist groups
Box 43
Family Circle article
Box 43
Federal Aviation Agency
Box 43
Federal Communications Commission
Box 43
Federal Housing Administration
Box 43
Flag desecration
Box 43
Flouridation
Box 43
Food and Drug Administration
Box 43
Food stamp program
Foreign Policy
Box 43
General
Box 43
Cambodia
Box 43
Treaties
Box 43
Prisoner of war
Box 43
Vietnam
Box 43
Fort, Edward B
Box 43
General Services Administration
Box 43
Governor (Michigan)
Box 43
Gridiron dinner
Box 44
Griffiths (comments on television, radio, speeches, etc.)
Box 44
Griffiths as possible vice presidential nominee
Box 44
Gun control
Box 44
Health, Education and Welfare Dept
Box 44
Housing and Urban Development Dept
Box 44
Indians
Box 44
Insurance
Box 44
Interest rates
Box 44
Interior Dept
Box 44
Internal Revenue Service
Box 44
Labor Dept
Box 44
Michigan matters
Box 44
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Box 44
National Commission on Consumer Finance
Box 44
National Health Insurance
(8 folders)
Box 44
National Observance Week
Box 44
New Economic Policy
Box 44
Office of Economic Opportunity
Box 45
Pension problems
Box 45
Political-district
Box 45
Population
Box 45
Pornography
Box 45
Post Office
Box 45
Postal service
Box 45
Price Commission
Box 45
Railroads
Box 45
Resolutions
Box 45
Sandler, Dr. Bernice
Box 45
Sex education
Box 45
Small Business Administration
Box 45
Social Security Administration
Box 45
SST
Box 45
State Dept
Box 45
State of the Union address assessment
Box 45
Statements
Box 45
Status of Women Committee
Box 45
Subversive organizations
Box 45
Supreme Court (possibility of MWG appointment)
Box 45
Tariff Commission
Box 45
Taxes
Box 45
Transportation Dept
Box 45
Treasury Dept
Box 45
United Nations
Veterans Administration
Box 45
General
Box 45
Hospitals
Box 45
Vicary, Tice
Box 45
Wage and Price controls
(2 folders)
Women
Box 45
Civil service
Box 45
Equal Rights Amendment
(2 folders)
Box 45
Organizations
Box 45
State legislators
93rd Congress 1973-1974 [subseries]
Legislative files
(mainly arranged by committee)
Box 46
Agriculture
Box 46
Appropriations
Box 46
Armed Services
Box 46
Banking and Currency
Box 46
District of Columbia
Box 46
Education and Labor
Box 46
Foreign Affairs
Box 47
Government Operations
Box 47
House Administration
Box 47
Interior and Insular Affairs
Box 47
International and Foreign Commerce
Box 47
Judiciary
Box 47
Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Box 47
Post Office and Civil Service
Box 47
Public Works
Box 48
Public Works
Box 48
Rules
Box 48
Science and Astronautics
Box 48
Select Committee on Committees
Box 48
Standards of Official Conduct
Box 48
Veterans Affairs
Box 48
Ways and Means
Box 49
Ways and Means
Box 50
Ways and Means
Joint Economic Committee
Box 50
General
Box 50
Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy
(include files concerning hearings on economic problems of women)
Box 51
Bills introduced by MWG
Box 52
Bills introduced by MWG
(continued)
Box 53
Bills introduced by MWG
(continued)
Topical Files
Box 53
Abortion
(2 folders)
Box 53
Agnew, Spiro T
Box 53
Agriculture Dept.
(2 folders)
Box 53
Air and Water Pollution
Box 53
Air Force Beagles
Box 53
Amnesty
Box 53
Atomic Energy Commission
Box 53
Automobile companies
Box 53
Automobile safety
Box 53
Bicentennial
Box 53
Budget
Box 53
Busing
(7 folders)
Box 54
Campaign issues
Box 54
Capital punishment
Box 54
Civil Rights
Box 54
Civil Service Commission
Box 54
Colleagues (communications with)
Box 54
Comments and Views of MWG
Box 54
Commerce Dept
Box 54
Committee on Committees
Box 54
Committee memberships
Box 54
Congressional Record inserts
Box 54
Consumer legislation
Box 54
Contests (include Woman of Conscience)
Box 54
Cox, Arlene
Box 54
Crime
Box 54
Day Care
Box 54
Defense Dept.
Box 54
Democratic Advisory Council of Elected Officials
Box 54
Democratic National Committee
Detroit
Box 54
General
Box 54
Detroit Schools
(3 folders)
Box 54
Detroit teachers' strike
Box 54
Donnelly, Elaine
Box 54
Drugs
Box 54
Education
Box 54
Electoral College reform
Energy
Box 54
Air pollution
Box 54
Oil companies
Box 54
Rationing
Box 54
Energy crisis
Box 54
Environmental pollution
Box 54
Environmental Protection Agency
Box 54
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Box 54
Federal Communications Commission
Box 54
Federal Deposit Insurance Commission
Box 54
Federal Home Loan Bank Board
Box 54
Federal pay raise
Box 54
Federal Power Commission
Box 54
Federal Trade Commission
Box 54
Flags
Food and Drug Administration
Box 54
General
Box 54
Vitamins
Box 54
Food Stamp program
Box 54
Ford, Gerald R
Box 54
Foreign Aid
Foreign Policy
Box 54
General
Box 54
Cambodia
Box 55
Cyprus
Box 55
Middle East
(4 folders)
Box 55
Treaties
Box 55
U.S.S.R
Box 55
Vietnam
Box 55
Vietnam prisoners of war
Box 55
Government spending
Griffiths, Martha
Box 55
Endorsements
Box 55
Mike Douglas Show
Box 55
Retirement
Box 55
Television and radio speeches
Box 55
Today Show appearance regarding the ERA
Box 55
Woman of the Year
Box 55
Gun control
Health, Education and Welfare Dept
Box 55
General
Box 55
Nursing home standards
Box 55
Hijacking
Box 55
Homestead tax exemption
Housing and Urban Development Dept
Box 55
General
Box 55
Detroit problem
Box 55
Impeachment of President Nixon
(6 folders)
Box 56
Impoundment
Box 56
Indians
Box 56
Indritz, Phineas
Box 56
Inflation
Box 56
Insurance
Box 56
Interior Dept
Box 56
Internal Revenue Service
Box 56
Interstate Commerce Dept
Box 56
Justice Dept
Box 56
Labor Dept
Box 56
Leadership
Box 56
Lowering the voting age
Box 56
Michigan Legislature
Box 56
Michigan (State)
Box 56
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Box 56
National Commission on Consumer Finance
Box 56
National Health Insurance
(12 folders)
Box 56
Nixon pardon
Box 56
Nixon resignation
Box 56
Open housing
Box 56
Pensions-Women
Box 56
Population
Box 56
Post Office (obscene mail and pornography)
Box 56
Poverty
Box 56
Presidential immunity
Box 56
Probate Court reform
Box 56
Property tax
Box 57
Quello, James
Box 57
Questionnaires
Box 57
Railroad Retirement Board
Box 57
Railroads
Box 57
Rawalt, Marguerite
Box 57
Resolutions
Box 57
School Lunch Program
Box 57
Selective Service-draft reform
Box 57
Senior citizens
Seventeenth Congressional District
Box 57
Democratic Party
Box 57
Election
Box 57
Sex education
Box 57
Small Business Administration
Box 57
Social Security Administration
Box 57
Space
Box 57
Special Prosecutor
Box 57
SST
Box 57
State Dept
Box 57
State taxation
Box 57
Statements
Box 57
Strikes
Box 57
Student unrest
Box 57
Supreme Court
Box 57
Taxes
Box 57
Transition request (expenses for President Nixon)
Box 57
Transportation Dept
Treasury Dept
Box 57
General
Box 57
Revenue sharing
Box 57
United Nations
Box 57
United Service Organizations
Box 57
Veterans Administration
Box 57
Veterans (Private Edward Slovik)
Box 57
Vicary, Tice
Box 57
Vice President (choice of Nelson Rockefeller)
Box 57
Wage-price controls
Box 57
Watergate
Box 57
Welfare
Box 57
Women
Schedules [series]
Box 58
1960-1974
(some gaps)
Sound recordings [series]
Reel-to-reel and cassettes [subseries] [Digitized audio files are only available in the Bentley Historical Library reading room on designated Bentley Library computers.]
Box 59
"Report on Congress" (weekly report of Martha Wright Griffiths) [Between 1955-1956]
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 7 inch)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-28-1])
(Discussing the Korean Crisis, the Housing Crisis, banking, crimes committed by youths, and other topics. At approximately 10:00 content switches to a recording of a religious program and church music.)
[access item]
Box 59
Recording of Martha W. Griffiths [1957]
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 7 inch, 7 1/2 ips)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-29-1])
(Discussing the Federal National Mortgage Association, family food budgets, consent decrees in antitrust suits, the Statistical Abstract of the United States, and population growth and new states.)
[access item]
Box 59
Radio report of Martha W. Griffiths 1957 October, 1957 November
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 5 inch)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-30-1])
(Tape 1; Discussing the achievements of the 85th Congress.)
[access item]
Box 59
Radio report of Martha W. Griffiths 1957 October, 1957 November
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 5 inch)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-31-1])
(Tape 2; Discussing the achievements of the 85th Congress.)
[access item]
Box 59
Radio report of Martha W. Griffiths 1957 October, 1957 November
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 5 inch)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-32-1])
(Tape 3; Discussing the achievements of the 85th Congress.)
[access item]
Box 59
Radio report of Martha W. Griffiths 1957 October, 1957 November
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 5 inch)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-33-1])
(Tape 5; Discussing the achievements of the 85th Congress.)
[access item]
Box 59
"Report from Washington" on the topic of civil defense system 1957 October 20
(Audio Reel-to-Reel)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-34-1])
(Martha W. Griffiths discussing the limitations of the Civil Defense System. Includes a recording with Joseph McCarthy.)
[access item]
Box 59
Recording of "Congress in Action" featuring Martha Wright Griffiths 1958 February 20
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 5 inch, 7 1/2 ips)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-35-1])
(Discussing the extension of the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act with guest Henry Kerns.)
[access item]
Box 59
Recording of interview of Martha Wright Griffiths 1958 May 15
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 7 inch, 7 1/2 ips)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-36-1])
(Rajni Kaul of the Voice of America on Griffith's entry into politics, issues before the Congress, and life as member of Congress.)
[access item]
Recordings of statement made for program "Capitol Hill Today" 1969 October 21
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 3 inch)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-41-1])
(Recording is only 0:43, brief comments by Martha Wright Griffiths on sex discrimination.)
[access item]
Box 59
Recordings of statement made for program "Capitol Hill Today" 1970 August 10
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 3 inch)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-42-1])
(Recording is only 0:50, brief comments by Martha Wright Griffiths on sex discrimination.)
[access item]
Box 59
Recordings of statement made for program "Capitol Hill Today" 1970 February 10
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 3 inch)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-43-1])
(Brief 0:37 comments on health services by Martha Wright Griffiths.)
[access item]
Box 59
Radio recording of "What's the Issue?" 1973 April 12
(Audio Reel-to-Reel, 7 inch)
Online
[Part 1] ([851378-SR-44-1])
(Presented by the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. On the subject of welfare with guest Representative Martha Griffiths. Host: Arch N. Booth; Reporter is Craig Palmer. Griffiths discussing the effects of welfare on women.)
[access item]
Box 59
Recording of panel discussion at the Associated Credit Bureaus Conference on the topic, "Sex discrimination in credit granting." Panelists include: MWG, Milton Shovert?, Charles F. Hayward. May 10, 1973
(1 audiocassettes)
Box 59
Recording of "Foundation Forum," information service of the National Foundation of Health, Welfare and Pension Plans, Inc., featuring in part MWG discussing her national health care bill. May 1973
(1 audiocassettes)
Box 59
Recording of interview with MWG conducted by Robert Barrie of the United Mine Workers on the subject of National Health Insurance. May 9, 1974
(1 audiocassettes)
(poor sound quality)
Box 59
Recording of speech of MWG before the National Convention of the Business and Professional Women's Clubs on the subject of the Equal Rights Amendment. July 22, 1974
(1 audiocassettes)
Box 59
Recordings of interviews with MWG conducted by Sister Emily George as part of her research for a biography of Congresswoman Griffiths. 1977-1978
(23 audiocassettes)
Phonograph Records [subseries]
Sound Disc 2
"First Ladies of Congress" A public service program of the Office of Women's Activities, Democratic National Committee
(1 phonograph record (33 1/3 rpm))
Sound Disc 2
"The Leading Question" CBS Radio Network. Discussion with Rep. Curtis on the subject of medical care for the aged March 1962
(1 phonograph record)
Visual Materials [series]
Photographs [subseries]
Box 59
Portraits
Films [subseries]
The films are part of a "Report from Washington" series, in which Griffiths reported to her constituents on issues before Congress or matters of special concern to her district. The films are all 16 mm., black & white with sound, ca. 5 minutes in duration. The films are listed in chronological order and have numbered for identification, missing numbers were duplicates that have been removed from the collection.) The films were digitized in 2008 and DVD use copies and streaming files wee created. Some streaming files are currently online, others can be mounted online by request to the library reference staff.
With Peter T. Jones, deputy assistant secretary for trade policy, Dept. of Commerce April 1, 1962 ([851378-1])
The Griffiths collection is unlike other congressional collections within the library in that certain kinds of materials were not received by the library and presumably were retained by the congresswoman. These include staff files, political or campaign files, speeches, and press files. Although Griffiths and her staff created a series of scrapbooks detailing her activities in Congress and for the two years following (1961-1963 and 1970-1976), her collection does not include a run of newsletters or press releases. According to Griffiths' biographer, Emily George, the congresswoman has retained "family memorabilia and political mementos," files of speeches, scrapbooks, newsletters, and her voting record in the Congress.
