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Title: Ruth M. Tenney Collection Type : Papers Dates: 1964-1974, predominately, 1967-1973 Size : 7 Linear feet ID #: 628 OCLC: ©Walter P. Reuther Library of Labor and Urban Affairs |
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HEFA.02.update
Scope & Contents Notes
Ruth M. Tenney placed her papers in the Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs in January of 1974. These papers were made available for research in March of 1980.
Ruth Tenney was born in Detroit, Michigan on July 26, 1921. A graduate of the Detroit Public Schools, she received advanced degrees in English (1944) and Humanities (1946) from Wayne University and a M.S.L.S. from the University of Michigan in 1953. She also earned permanent high school and junior college teaching certificates (Wayne University, 1948). Between the years 1945 and 1952, Ruth Tenney taught English for the Detroit Public School System and was a part-time special instructor for the English Department at Wayne University. In 1953, she joined the professional library staff at Wayne State University where she was employed in the Cataloging Department. Her library career includes two years with the United States Department of the Army Library Service in Mannheim and Darmstadt, Germany (1960‑1962).
As a native and resident of Detroit, Ms. Tenney actively participated in various citizens' groups and non‑profit corporations concerned with urban renewal projects within the city during the years 1966‑1974. These groups included the Citizens' Governing Board of the Detroit Model Neighborhood, the People's Area Development Corporation, and the University City "A" Citizens' District Council. The papers of Ruth M. Tenney reflect her involvement with these groups.
A direct result of the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Act of 1966, the Detroit Model Neighborhood Program utilized federal funds to improve Detroit's inner city in the areas of commerce and industry, communication, crime and delinquency, education, employment, health, housing, public and social services, and recreation and culture. A major aspect of this program required formal citizen participation in all phases of program formulation and implementation. As a resident of the Detroit Model Neighborhood Area A‑1, Ms. Tenney was a member of the Citizens' Governing Board (1968‑1971) and served on the Housing Committee and the Committee to Revise the Detroit Master Plan. She was also a member of the negotiating team which, along with six individual plaintiffs, filed suit to halt the further development of the University City II Project ( a renewal project designed to make additional lands available for Wayne State University expansion) until citizen participation in planning for that area was guaranteed and implemented.
Between the years 1971‑1974, Ms. Tenney served on the Board of Directors of the People's Area Development Corporation (PADCO). A private, non‑profit corporation, PADCO utilized Model City funds to formulate guidelines for the future growth and development of the PADCO area (roughly covering 1,429 gross acres of the entire nine square miles of the Detroit Model Neighborhood).
On the state level, Public Act 189 (1968) required citizen
consultation in the Detroit urban renewal and rehabilitation areas through the
creation of the Citizens' District Councils. Ruth Tenney served as a member of
the University City "A" Citizens' District Council from 1969 to c.
1974.
Citizen Participation in Urban Renewal
Detroit Model Neighborhood Program
Housing ‑ Detroit, Michigan
Model Cities
Urban Renewal and Redevelopment ‑ Detroit, Michigan
Urban Street Planning and Design ‑ Detroit, Michigan
Wayne State University ‑ Community Relations
14 manuscript boxes
1 oversized manuscript box
Series I
Detroit Model Neighborhood Program 1967‑1973
Boxes 1‑10 and 1 oversized manuscript box
Correspondence, minutes, contracts, planning and development proposals, surveys, reports, newspaper clippings, and other publications dealing with the Detroit Model Neighborhood Program and Ruth Tenney's efforts as a Citizens' Governing Board representative for Area A‑1 and member of the Housing Committee. Also included is documentation on the People's Area Development Corporation. This series is divided into four subject subseries:
Subseries A ‑ Citizens' Governing Board, Detroit Model Neighborhood, 1968‑1973; Boxes 1‑2
Subseries B ‑ Housing Committee of the Citizens' Governing Board 1964‑1973; Boxes 2‑4
Subseries C ‑ People's Area Development Corporation, 1968‑1973; Boxes 4‑6
Subseries D ‑ Detroit Model Neighborhood Publications;"1967‑1974; Boxes 7‑10 and 1 oversized manuscript box
Subseries A
Citizens' Governing Board (CGB)
Boxes 1‑2
This subseries includes the by‑laws of the CG3, correspondence, reports, surveys, and documentation of elections, personnel procedures, job specifications, and project planning and summaries. The latter part of the subseries concentrates on Area A of the Detroit Model Neighborhood Program, its subdivision Area A‑1, and development projects within that area such as the Canfield Avenue Closing‑Calumet Project and the widening of Warren and Third Avenues. The material is generally arranged alphabetically according to record type or topic with the documentation on Area A and Area A‑1 at the end of the subseries. The time period covers 1968‑1973.
Subseries B
Housing Committee (HC)
Boxes 2‑4
Subseries B contains correspondence, reports, and publications assembled by Ruth Tenney as a member of the Housing Committee of the Citizens' Governing Board. This material includes housing seminar and tour handouts and notes, housing development promotional pamphlets, and publications on housing needs, landlord ‑ tenant relations, and state and federal development programs. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by topic or type of material with publications placed at the end of the subseries. In general, the material dates 1967‑1973 although some of the newspaper clippings predate 1967.
Subseries C
People's Area Development Corporation (PADCO)
Boxes 4‑6
Subseries C consists of the Articles of Incorporation and by‑laws of PADCO as well as correspondence, minutes, planning agreements, contracts, and publications tracing the various phases of PADCO. Also included is information on Area Development Corporations (ADC), Area Redevelopment Corporations (ARC), and special projects such as the Charlotte‑Third redevelopment site. Within the subseries, the ADC and ARC documentation comes first followed by the PADCO material. Information on special projects and publications is at the end of the subseries. The time period covers 1968‑1973.
Subseries D
Detroit Model Neighborhood (DMN) Publications
Boxes 7‑10 and 1 oversized manuscript box
Subseries D includes reports and published material on theDetroit Model Neighborhood Program and also provides a good deal of general information on the city of Detroit and its people. Included are issues of the official Detroit Model Neighborhood publication Sound Off as well as various community publications such as Forum and The Community Reporter. The subseries is arranged by type of material followed by a chronological listing of titled publications. General information on Model Cities National is at the end of the subseries. The material covers the years, 1967‑1974.
Series II
University City "A" Citizens' District Council (CDC) 1967‑1974 Boxes 10‑13
Correspondence, minutes and supportive material (memos, correspondence, and reports distributed prior to and during individual CDC meetings), documentation on workshops, planning and development proposals, surveys reports, and publications dealing with the Citizens' District Council for University City "A." This series includes documentation on special project areas such as Research Park, the Elmwood II Project, and the New Center Area. The files cover the years 1969‑1973 and are arranged alphabetically by topic or type of material with the special project material and publications at the end of the series.
Series III
University City II (UC II) Project 1967‑1973
Boxes 13‑14
Correspondence, reports, newspaper clippings, and other publications concerning the University City II Rehabilitation Project. Within this series is important documentation on the University City II lawsuit. lawsuit files appear first within the series followed by documentation on project planning and development and publications.
Finding Aid end