Fred E. Sabin papers

This collection documents Dr. Fred Sabin's activities as chairman of the Marquette County Republican Party and as a member of the Northern Michigan University Board of Control, known as the BOT. The collection is comprised of correspondence, reports, event announcements, invitations, and programs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and photographs from 1950-1973. The collection is a fairly accurate documentation of Republican politics in the 1960s. The bulk of the materials focus on the election of the 43rd governor of Michigan, George W. Romney (Republican). The collection documents Sabin’s interaction with politicians and political groups at the regional and national level, Marquette area community leaders, Northern Michigan University Administrators, and medical professionals. Also represented in the papers are the various groups and committees with which Sabin was involved, including, Young Republicans, Republican Women’s groups, the Republican State Central Committee, and the Marquette Rotary Club. Of particular use may be the project files which denote the handling of significant events in Michigan politics by the Republican party, such as the 1963 Constitutional Convention and recount, the reapportioning of Michigan voting districts, fundraisers and campaigning events, and elections.

Record Series 1. Administrative Documents, 1954-1969. 1 Cubic Foot (53 folders). This record series is arranged into five subseries: Correspondence; Committees, Conventions, and Project Files; Election Results and Voter Information; Candidate and Volunteer Information; and Reports and Correspondence of the Finance Committee.

The Correspondence subseries contains Fred Sabin’s written communication with major players in the Michigan Republican scene during the 1960’s. Some of the more known names found in the subseries are Governor George Romney, Ruth Butler, Ernest L. Pearce, Dominic J. Jacobetti, Kent Lundgren, John B. Bennett, Donald E. Holbrook, Alvin E. O’Konski, Stanley G. Thayer, Allison Green, Hilary Whittaker, James F. O’Neil, Edward A. Meany, William G. Milliken, John B. Martin, Jim Hayes, Ogden E. Johnson, Steve Nisbet, Frank Russell, Roy E. Miller, Joseph Hunting, Edgar E. Harden, and John X. Jamrich. The Committees, Conventions, and Project Files subseries documents major events during Fred Sabin’s involvement in the Republican State Central Committee and Marquette County Republicans. The subseries also contains administrative documents of the various groups and committees in which Fred Sabin was involved. The Election Results and Voter Information subseries contains reports and analysis of election results and voter statistics, and voter registers. The Candidate and Volunteer Information subseries contains guidebooks and instruction pamphlets for campaign and election volunteers and election and campaign organizers. It also contains candidate biographies. The Reports and Correspondence of the Finance Committee subseries contains administrative documents of the Republican State Finance Committee, including correspondence, memos, and reports.

Record Series 2. Media, 1950-1986. 45 folders, 1 linear foot flat storage box, and one oversize drawer. This record series is arranged into five subseries; Publications/Campaign Materials and Mailers, Newspaper Clippings and Journal Articles, Scrapbooks, Photographs, and Separated Items.

The Publications/Campaign Materials and Mailers subseries contains pamphlets, guide books, and newsletter. The Newspaper Clippings and Journal Articles subseries includes mostly information about the George Romney campaign but also contains publicity about the NMU Board of Control and the Red Scare of the 1950’s-1960’s. There are four political scrapbooks covering the proceedings of the Republican party between 1960 and 1973. One of the scrapbooks was kept intact, the other three were digitized and the savable materials were foldered. The scrapbooks contained photographs, pamphlets and magazines, small artifacts and memorabilia, newspaper articles, event announcements and invitations, as well as significant correspondence. The Photographs subseries contains photos of the NMU Board of Control and NMU Commencement ceremonies as well as some events in Fred Sabin’s political life in the late 1970’s and 1980’s, including high profile political visitors to NMU. The Separated Items subseries consists mainly of two types of materials separated from the rest of the collection for special storage. The first type of material features one intact scrapbook as well as a pin, a CD-R containing PDF files of three of the scrapbooks, some candidate cards, event tickets and register cards, a printing plate concerning the Constitutional Convention, and a phonographic recording of a speech by John (Jack) Gibbs.