THE MICHIGAN COMMISSION ON DISPLACED PERSONS COLLECTION 47 Manuscript boxes Processed: 1970 Accession Number 129 By: BF The papers comprising the Displaced Persons Collection were deposited with the Labor History Archives in January, 1965 by Florence Cassidy, Secretary of the Michigan Commission on Displaced Persons and Refugees. After the passage of the Displaced Persons Act, the Michigan Commission on Displaced Persons was established in 1949 by Executive Order of Gov. G. Mennen Williams. Prior to the passage of this Act in 1948, various volunteer agencies in Michigan had been active in resettling regular quota immigrants; and the Michigan Committee on Displaced Persons (an inter-organizational committee) had campaigned for the passage of legislation to admit displaced persons outside of the quota. The Commission worked jointly with Michigan sponsors, with volunteer agencies, and with the Federal and State governments in resettling displaced persons and refugees. Its main functions were those of coordination and central information in such areas as housing, transportation, employment, legislation, and education. It also investigated the responsibility of indivi- duals and organizations which were sponsoring displaced persons. The name of the Commission was changed to the Michigan Commission on Displaced Persons and Refugees after the passage of the Refugee Relief Act in 1953. In 1960 the Commission recommended to Gov. John B. Swainson that he establish a Michigan Commission on Refugees which would serve on a stand-by basis. The Displaced Persons Collection covers the period from 1937 to 1965. -2- Important subjects are: Detroit Committee on Refugees Federal Displaced Persons Commission International Refugees Organization Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Hungarian, and Cuban refugees Licensing of immigrant physicians McCarran-Walter Act and other legislation affecting immigrants and refugees Mexican immigrants in Michigan Wartime aliens Among the correspondents are: John W. Bricker Jacob Javits Charles Potter Homer Capehart Estes Kefauver Roy Reuther John Dingell William Knowland George Romney Everett Dirksen Herbert Lehman John Sparkman Paul Douglas Warren Magnuson Arthur Vandenberg Homer Ferguson J. Howard McGrath G. Mennen Williams Hubert Humphrey Blair Moody Description of Series Boxes Description 1-2 Series I. Special Projects Involving Aliens and Recently Naturalized Citizens, 1940-1947. Correspondence, interviews, clippings, reports, and memoranda. Includes information on Mexican immigrants in Michigan and "I Am An American Day." 3-6 Series II. Michigan Committee on Displaced Persons, 1946-1951. Booklets, pamphlets, correspondence, minutes, clippings, speeches, legislative bills, radio addresses, resolutions, and reports. 7-18 Series III. Michigan Commission on Displaced Persons, 1949-1960. Correspondence, reports, clippings, press releases, memoranda, minutes, transmittal letters of assurance, and lists of new arrivals. Includes the "Report of the Michigan Commission on Displaced Persons and Refugees, 1949-1960," which discusses the background, functions, and accomplishments of the Commission. 19-25 Series IV. Refugee Records, 1953-1965. Correspondence, clippings, legislation, reports, minutes, list of arrivals, and press releases. -3- Boxes Description 26-29 Series V. Michigan Committee on Immigration, 1951-1964. Legislation, correspondence, minutes, bulletins, financial records, statements, hearings, and reports. 30-47 Series VI. Interpreter Releases, 1937-1964. 1) "Interpreter Releases" - statistical and other information compiled and printed by: - Foreign Language Information Service, 1937-1940. - Common Council for American Unity, 1941-1959. - American Council for Nationalities Services, 1960-1964. 2) Miscellaneous information Bulletins. 3/15/65 Accession Number 129 DISPLACED PERSONS COLLECTION SERIES I: Special Projects Involving Aliens and Recently Naturalized Citizens, 1940-47 Box 1, Mexican Project Welcomes to New Citizens "Aliens Back the War Effort" - Detroit News, April 13, 1942 Mexican Project - Narrative Reports to office of Inter-American Affairs, 1943-45 Mexican Workers in W.E. Michigan, Plans for Conference to be held February 12, 1944 Mexican Railway Track Workers - General Material Mexican Railway Work in Michigan, 1943-44 Mexican Project - Mendoza Reports Mexican Project - Jackson, Michigan Mexican Project - Pontiac, Michigan Mexican Project - Ecorse, Michigan Mexican Questionnaires, 1944 Interviews with Mexican Tenants at John R. Fisher Homes, 1943-44 Employment of Aliens in War Industry, 1941-43 Wayne Council of Defense - Section on American Unity Naturalization Aides, 1942-44 Civilian Defense Volunteer Office - Training Course for Naturalization Aides Citizenship Rallies, 1944-46 Welcome to New Citizens - I am an American Day Ceremonies, General Bulletins, 1939 Welcome to New Citizens - Citizenship Day, September 16, 1939 Welcome to New Citizens - I am an American Day, May 19, 1940 Box 2, Welcomes to New Citizens Welcomes to New Citizens - I am an American Day, May 19, 1941 Welcomes to New Citizens - I am an American Day, May 17, 1942 Welcomes to New Citizens - I am an American Day, May 16, 1943 Welcomes to New Citizens - I am an American Day, May 21, 1944 Welcomes to New Citizens - I am an American Day, May 1945 Welcomes to New Citizens - I am an American Day, May 1946 Welcomes to New Citizens - National Citizenship Day, May 1947 SERIES II: Michigan Committee on Displaced Persons, 1946-51 Box 3, Michigan Committee on Displaced Persons, 1946-51 President's War Relief Control Board and Foreign Relief Appeals to the War Chest, 1942-5 Preliminary Background Information on Displaced Persons and Refugees Newspaper Clippings re Displaced Persons Citizens Committee on Displaced Persons, 1947 Meeting December 18, 1946 of "Mich. Committee on Immigration Policies for Displaced Persons' History and Functions - General Statements re Services in Michigan Michigan Committee on Immigration Policies for Displaced Persons, Minutes and Objectives, 1946-47 Michigan Committee on Displaced Persons, Minutes 1947-49 Page 2 Series 11, continued Box 4, Michigan Committee on Displaced Persons, 1946—51 Campaign leading to passage of Displaced Persons Act "Up State" Acceptances and Correspondence with "Up State" Committee Members Letters to Michigan Citizens other than Members of Congress Urging Support of Displaced Persons Legislation 1947 Meetings (Razoosky Davidson, Cecilia) Meeting on Displaced Persons, April 28, 1947 Meeting on Displaced Persons, March 25, 1947 Meeting on Displaced Persons, May 27, 1947 Meeting on Displaced Persons, February 26, 1948 Letters to Senator Ferguson re Legislation on Behalf of Displaced Persons Letters to Senator Vandenberg re Legislation on Behalf of Displaced Persons Letters to Michigan Congressmen re legislation on Behalf of Displaced Persons Letters to Non-Michigan Congressmen re Legislation on Behalf of Displaced Persons Letters to Congressmen from U.S. Citizens of Lithuanian Descent Congressional Districts Needing Special Attention Answers to Gossett Speech, 1947 Box 5, Michigan Committee on Displaced Persons, 1946-51 Radio Broadcasts re Displaced Persons Citizens Committee on Displaced Persons - General Publicity Releases Michigan and Citizens Committee on Refugees - News Bulletins, 1947-4-9 Bulletins to Sponsors and Cooperating Organizations, 1947-48 Charles Slayman re Citizens Committee on Displaced Persons "The Light" - Bulletin of the Citizens Committee on Displaced Persons, 1947-48 Resolutions re Legislation for Admission of Displaced Persons Detroit Bar Association Action re Displaced Persons General Federation of Women's Clubs - Clippings re Resolution on Displaced Persons Citizens Committee on Displaced Persons - Letters to Labor Organizations American Legion and Displaced Persons, 1947 Resolutions Directories - Local Committees and National Organizations working on Displaced Persons Legislation, 1947 Cleveland Regional Conference on Displaced Persons, December 6, 1947 Finances, Bills, etc. Letters to the President re Displaced Persons President's Special Message re Displaced Persons, July 7, 1947 Stratton Bill, HR 2910, 1947 Box 6, Michigan Committee on Displaced Persons, 1946-51 Ferguson Bill, S 1563, 1948 Fellows Bill, H 6396, 1948 Wiley Bill, S 242 and Senate Judiciary Committee Report on Displaced Persons, 1948 Wiley Bill - Amendments Urged by Protestant Ministers Roll Cells on Fellows and Wiley Bills, June 1948 Conferences to Reconcile Differences between the Fellows and Wiley Bills Needed Amendments to the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 Terminal Dates under the Displaced Persons Act as Amended June 28, 1951 Provisions of the Celler Bill, HR 4567 Common Council of Deroit - Letters re Survey of Resettlement Opportunities for Displaced Persons,1948 1949 Correspondence with Citizens Committee on Displaced Persons Regulations re change of Status for Displaced Persons Admitted on a Temporary Basis to the United States Michigan Survey of Openings for Displaced Persons Page 3 SERIES III: Michigan Commission on Displaced Persons, 1949-60 Box 7, Michigan Commission on Displaced Persons, 1949-51 a. International Refugees Organization b. General Information on the United States Displaced Persons Act, 1948 International Refugees Organization - Expenditures, 1946-51 International Refugees Organization - Definitions and General Principles, 1946 International Refugees Organization - Report on the Transportation of a Million Refugees, 1947-51 International Refugees Organization