Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum
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Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum 1000 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2114 www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov Composite General Accessions: ERIC D. THUMA PAPERS, 1976 and 1980 Election-Related Radio Program Materials (1976-1980) SUMMARY DESCRIPTION 194 slides, 2 CD-ROMS of electronic records containing transcripts and digital images, and one photograph related to President Ford’s 1976 re-election campaign activities in Michigan and the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit. Materials were collected and used by Oakland Community College Communications Professor Eric D. Thuma and include transcripts of his radio documentary entitled The Making of the President in the Bicentennial Year and interviews conducted for use in his public service radio program entitled Epilogue(386 pages). QUANTITY .2 linear feet (approximately 194 slides/2 DVDs/1 photograph) DONOR Eric D. Thuma (2005-NLF-044) ACCESS Open for research. COPYRIGHT Eric D. Thuma has donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials created by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Copyright information is unknown for some items. These items may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code.) Reproductions are made solely for private study, scholarship, or research. Permission to quote from, publish, reproduce, display or deposit in other institutions must be obtained from the copyright holder/s. Citations must identify the Gerald R. Ford Library. If the copyright holder is known, it is listed in [brackets] following the description of the item. REPRODUCTIONS For more information or to obtain reproductions of any of the items listed in this finding aid, please contact the Ford Library audiovisual staff at (734) 205-0555 or visit the following Ford Library web page: http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/avproj/fees.asp Prepared by Jill Zawacki/Nancy Mirshah May 18, 2009 A Presidential Library Administered by the National Archives and Records Administration BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION Eric D. (Doane) Thuma April 27, 1939 Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Attended Cornwall Academy in Massachusetts. B.A., Michigan State University Masters degree in Political Science, Western Michigan University Masters degree in Mass Communications, University of Michigan 1955-1982 Professor of Political Science and Mass Communications, Oakland Community College August 27, 1966 Married Marion Anges Chihan 1969-1982 Producer, Epilogue I, a weekly public service radio program airing early Sunday a.m. out of Oakland Community College 1982-1992 Adjunct Professor, Baker College, Flint, Michigan President, Board of Education, Imlay City Community Schools President, Imlay City Rotary Club - Feb, 2009 Biweekly Columnist, Tri-City Times (serving the communities at the gateway to Michigan’s thumb area) March 25, 2009 Deceased, Imlay City, Michigan - 2 - INTRODUCTION In November 1976, Professor Eric Thuma presented to President Ford a four-hour radio documentary on the election campaign which he produced while on the faculty of Oakland Community College. Entitled The Making of the President in the Bi-Centennial Year, the documentary was received by the White House and acknowledged by the President in a letter addressed to Professor Thuma in January, 1977. Those tapes were subsequently sent to Ann Arbor for inclusion in the future Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Accession 2005-NLF-044 contains a hard copy of the radio documentary script, 35mm color slides of the 1976 and 1980 campaigns and pictures related to President Ford’s public career. Also included is a CD Rom version of the transcript and a CD Rom containing copies of the pictures taken during the 1976 campaign used in the transcript. Some of the slides used in the transcript were pictures taken from the internet. Also included is a still photograph of President Ford and Professor Thuma which appeared in the Detroit Free Press. Early in his career at Oakland Community College, Professor Thuma took over a 15- minute radio series, Outlook Education, devoted to the events and personalities at the college. In the next few years the show expanded to half and hour, and later to an hour, and , known as Epilogue 1, became devoted to a survey of the media, creative arts, politics and the human condition.—anything of interest to Thuma requiring him to obtain audio and later, when the format was adapted to fit the requirements of cable television, visual materials for the classes he taught. The show had a very small audience as it aired between 5:00-7:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Accession 2005-NLF-044 includes interviews developed for this show in a Word document on a second CD Rom entitled The Epilogue Conversations. At the time of donation the bulk of this collection – nearly 200 35 mm slides – was housed in two slideshow carousels which were labeled “1976 Presidential Campaign Slides” and “1980 Political Campaign, GOP Convention, July 1980, Detroit, Michigan.” The original order of these slides has been preserved through their identification numbers; viewing them chronologically reveals their original arrangement. [See the Series Descriptions and Inventory List on pages 19-27 of this document]. Most slides are stamped with a date, which is found in parentheses following the description. These dates can be used as a general guideline but not as an exact date as the slides were stamped at the time of development, and do not reflect the date the image was photographed. The above-mentioned Inventory List provides only cursory descriptions. What follows in pages 4-18 of this document is a Finding Aid in which the items have been grouped by subject by the processing archivist. Some specific events have been identified while other topics remain generalized, based on their subject or the featured individual. The selected major topics include: • 10/10/1975: President’s 20th Press Conference, Detroit, MI • 10/10/1975: Michigan Republicans Salute the President Dinner, Detroit, MI - 3 - • 09/15/1976: General Campaign Kickoff at Crisler Arena, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI • 11/1/1976: GRF’s Remarks Upon Arriving in Detroit, MI • 7/18-19/1980: Republican National Convention, Detroit, MI In addition to Gerald and Betty Ford such prominent individuals as Nelson Rockefeller, Henry Kissinger, Jimmy Carter, Walter Mondale, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush., and various Michigan politicians are featured in the slides. For description brevity, the names Gerald R. Ford and Betty Ford have been abbreviated to “GRF” and “EBF,” respectively. Appended to this document is a 7-page electronic records finding aid for the two DVDs contained in the collection. 1. EVENTS October 10, 1975: President’s 20th Press Conference, Detroit, MI GRF held a press conference in Detroit with members of both the Detroit Press Club (whose banner is visible on the stage) and the National Press Corp at Cobo Hall in downtown Detroit. Other attendees included Joseph Wolff, James Chapman, Leonard Barnes, George Puscas, and Jerry Blocker. Slides also show various protesters in front of Cobo Hall, including some Iraqi military dress. 2005-NLF-044-095 Picketers march in front of Cobo Hall carrying two red banners, which are unreadable. An unidentified man, in Iraqi uniform and carrying the Iraqi flag, leads the protest against violence towards Arabs. 2005-NLF-044-104 Picketers march in front of Cobo Hall carrying two red banners, which are unreadable. Members of the press are seen at right. 2005-NLF-044-107 Picketers march in front of Cobo Hall and Joe Louis Arena. Signs are seen reading “Youth Demand Jobs Not War, Detroit Youth United For Jobs.” 2005-NLF-044-112 GRF speaking at podium. Four other men seated on platform. Slide is labeled “Ford Press Conf.” 2005-NLF-044-114 GRF speaking at podium. Four other men seated on platform. Slide is labeled “Ford PC.” 2005-NLF-044-115 GRF speaking at podium. Four other men seated on platform. Slide is labeled “Ford PC.” 2005-NLF-044-116 GRF speaking at podium. Four other men seated on platform. - 4 - 2005-NLF-044-117 Ron Nessen, Ford Press Secretary, speaking at podium. Four other men seated on platform. October 10, 1975: “Michigan Republicans Salute the President” Dinner, Detroit, MI Following his press conference, GRF attended the “Michigan Republicans Salute the President” Dinner which was held in the Ontario Room of the Hotel Ponchartrain in downtown Detroit. 2005-NLF-044-101 Exterior view of Hotel Ponchartrain in downtown Detroit with police preparing for the arrival of the Presidential motorcade. Sheriffs’ cars line the street and mounted police are visible in background. 2005-NLF-044-118 GRF on stage. Slide is labeled “Ford dinner.” 2005-NLF-044-119 GRF conversing with Max M. Fisher, Detroit businessman and philanthropist, during dinner. 2005-NLF-044-120 View of Presidential motorcade on Jefferson Avenue, in downtown Detroit, MI. 2005-NLF-044-121 GRF conversing during dinner. Image is described as “with Fletcher.” September, 15, 1976: Campaign Kickoff at Crisler Arena, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI: GRF chose to kick off his re-election campaign with a rally at Crisler Arena at his alma mater, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Among the guests on the platform are President of UM Robben Fleming and his wife, UM football announcer Bob Ufer, and Senator Robert P. Griffin. 2005-NLF-044-022 Shot of waiting crowd at Crisler Arena, including University of Michigan band. 2005-NLF-044-025 Shot of crowd at Crisler Arena, waiting for GRF’s arrival. 2005-NLF-044-041 GRF speaking at podium at Crisler Arena. 2005-NLF-044-029 Members of the press awaiting GRF’s arrival. 2005-NLF-044-030 Members of the press awaiting GRF’s arrival.