Guide to the Maryann Mahaffey Papers UP001514 This guide was produced using ArchivesSpace on February 26, 2019. English. Describing Archives: A Content Standard :DOWHU35HXWKHU/LEUDU\ &DVV$YHQXH 'HWURLW0, 85/KWWSVUHXWKHUZD\QHHGX Guide to the Maryann Mahaffey Papers UP001514 Table of Contents Summary Information .................................................................................................................................... 3 History ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 Scope and Content ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Arrangement ................................................................................................................................................... 9 Administrative Information ............................................................................................................................ 9 Related Materials ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Controlled Access Headings ........................................................................................................................ 10 Collection Inventory ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Series I: Career .......................................................................................................................................... 11 Subseries A: Early career ....................................................................................................................... 11 Subseries B: Detroit City Council .......................................................................................................... 12 Subseries C: Wayne State University, School of Social Work .............................................................. 21 Series II: Elections and campaigns ........................................................................................................... 27 Series III: Miscellaneous files ................................................................................................................... 30 Series IV: Organizations and involvement ............................................................................................... 32 Subseries A: Maryann Mahaffey ............................................................................................................ 32 Subseries B: Herman 'Hy' Dooha ........................................................................................................... 41 Series V: Personal files ............................................................................................................................. 43 Series VI: Speeches, writings, and publications ....................................................................................... 45 Subseries A: Speeches and testimony .................................................................................................... 45 Subseries B: Writings ............................................................................................................................. 51 Subseries C: Publications ....................................................................................................................... 51 Series VII: Subject files ............................................................................................................................ 54 - Page 2 - Guide to the Maryann Mahaffey Papers UP001514 Summary Information Repository: Walter P. Reuther Library Creator: Mahaffey, Maryann Title: Maryann Mahaffey Papers ID: UP001514 Date [inclusive]: 1944-2006 Physical Description: 76 Linear Feet (62 SB, 1 MB, 5 OS) Language of the English Material: Language of the Material entirely in English. Material: Abstract: Maryann Mahaffey was born on January 18, 1925 in Burlington, Iowa to Kent and Margaret 'Nell' [Widener] Mahaffey. Mahaffey's older brother was also named Kent. While she was attending Cornell College, she decided to spend the summer of 1945 working as a Recreation Director at Poston Internment Camp in Arizona. This work had a profound effect on Mahaffey in regard to fighting against discrimination and helping people in need. After obtaining masters degrees in social work from the University of Southern California, Mahaffey and her husband moved briefly in Indianapolis before moving to Detroit. Mahaffey worked with organizations like Young Woman's Christian Association (YWCA), Girl Scouts of America, Merrill Palmer Institute, and Brightmoor Community Center before becoming involved in local politics. After working as a consultant to the Mayor of Detroit on parks, recreation, and social services, Mahaffey initiated and chaired the Mayor's Task Force on Malnutrition and Hunger before running for Wayne County Commissioner in 1970. Though she did not win the election for this position, she did win a Michigan Supreme Court case setting a legal precedent for married women running for public office with their maiden name. In 1973, Mahaffey ran for Detroit City Council and won, she served on the city council until 2005. Active outside of her council work, Mahaffey also taught as a Professor at Wayne State University School of Social Work as well as participating in many social work and positive social force organizations. She played important roles in the Michigan Social Work Council, National Association of Social Workers (NASW) including being their first elected female President, and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW). Mahaffey also focused heavily on organization promoting peace, women in - Page 3- Guide to the Maryann Mahaffey Papers UP001514 politics, health, and equality. Mahaffey was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2005 and passed away on July 27, 2006 due to health complications. This collection contains materials with a heavy emphasis on the city of Detroit, as well as social work and social service organizations. From Mahaffey's numerous decades on the Detroit City Council, there are detailed notes, correspondence, and reports relating to the daily work was involved in including city budget, casinos, an anti- surveillance ordinance, housing, and many other subjects of focus. This collection also contains materials related to her teaching at Wayne State University including detailed information on social service organizations in Metro Detroit. Other important elements of this collection relate to her experience working at Poston, the many organizations Mahaffey played an active role in running and organizing, and the speeches, testimony, and writing she did covering the broad range of her experience and interests. Citation Style "Maryann Mahaffey Papers, Box [#], Folder [#], Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs, Wayne State University" ^ Return to Table of Contents History Maryann Mahaffey was born on January 18, 1925 in Burlington, Iowa to Kent and Margaret 'Nell' [Widener] Mahaffey. Mahaffey's older brother was also named Kent. While she was attending Cornell College, she decided to spend the summer of 1945 working as a Recreation Director at Poston Internment Camp in Arizona. This work was sponsored by the National Intercollegiate Christian Council and this experience had a profound effect on Mahaffey in regard to fighting against discrimination and helping people in need. After graduating college in 1946, Mahaffey moved to Seattle to work for the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) the first U.S. national organization to commit to end internal segregation and work towards ending racial injustice, which appealed to Mahaffey. She worked there as a Teenage Program Director. In 1949, Mahaffey began graduate school in a social work program at the University of Southern California, specializing in group work. It was in this social work program that she met her husband, Herman "Hy" Dooha who she married in June 1950. Both Maryann and Hy graduated with a degree in Social Work in 1951 and moved first to Indianapolis for one year after she accepted a job with the Girl Scouts of America as a District and Training Director and also serving as a Field Work Instructor for a student attending the University of Indiana School of Social Work. As part of her work, she developed the first integrated Brownie troop and day camp in Indianapolis. Shortly thereafter, Hy and Maryann moved to Detroit where she continued to work with the Girl Scouts of America as Field Staff Supervisor, - Page 4- Guide to the Maryann Mahaffey Papers UP001514 but was removed from her position in 1954, due in part to issues arising from Maryann's use of her maiden name and concern with race relations, among other reasons. Over the next two years she worked with the Merrill-Palmer Institute with some time off when she her daughter Susan was born. In 1956 Maryann and Hy moved to Chicago and after a few months Mahaffey began work on a project with Erie Neighborhood House and United Cerebral Palsy Association to provide service to severely cerebral palsied adults. Returning to Detroit, Mahaffey began work with the Brightmoor Community Center as a program director in 1959, where she worked until 1963 to create a tenants' council and employed the first black professional staff, among other