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Welcome to Michiganology.org where Michiganologists focus on the study of Michigan.  A Michiganologist is someone who is curious about Michigan, shares its stories, and understands and takes pride in Michigan’s unique identity. If you are not already a Michiganologist, we can help!

As part of the Michigan History Center, Michiganology’s mission is to foster curiosity, enjoyment, and inspiration rooted in Michigan’s stories​. ​

Michiganology.org began as SeekingMichigan.org 10 years ago when the Archives of Michigan and Library of Michigan partnered to deliver more than 1 million records online. Now, more than 10 million records ​are available online along with ​interesting educational materials and countless stories chronicling the everyday lives of Michiganders.

Staff continue to streamline indexes on Michiganology.org so you can search across collections and dig deeper. We are also partnering with FamilySearch.org to digitize and index a number of local government records. Through this partnership, more than 7 million naturalization records will soon be available on Michiganology.org.

In addition to millions of records, Michiganology shares the stories of Michigan. These stories go beyond a quick set of facts about Michigan. Historians and archivists at the Michigan History Center are always looking for stories about people with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

We are also creating educational materials. Educators at the Michigan History Center are curating stories from a multitude of perspectives to give primary and secondary students a rich, in-depth portrait of Michigan’s past.

Michiganology.org retains the retail store started as Michiganology.com where you can continue to buy Michigan-inspired products, images and maps. The store is a for-purpose project and all proceeds go towards funding programs (including Michiganology.org) at the Michigan History Center.

Michiganology is for you.  Find your story, let us help.

Michigan History Center Statement on Racial Justice

We have not done enough. In the wake of the police violence against George Floyd and those killed before him, the Michigan History Center renews its commitment to racial and social justice by seeking out and sharing the stories of the past that can help us all understand the impact of systems that create and condone police brutality and other forms of racial oppression. We need to do more to contribute to the work that dismantles those systems.

Michigan’s past and present include stories of oppression—the 1866 lynching of John Taylor in Ingham County, the 1992 beating death of an unarmed Malice Green outside a Detroit drug store. They also include the inspiring stories of William Lambert, who in 1843 convened the state’s first public convention to advocate for the rights of Michigan African American citizens, as well as of New Detroit, Focus:HOPE and the numerous activist and social justice organizations that were born after the 1967 Detroit rebellion.

In solidarity with those who grieve and those who protest for justice and reform, we commit to making racial and social equity a priority in all our efforts to collect, preserve and share Michigan stories. We commit to joining you in learning from our collective past to spark healing and change. We will start by expanding inclusion in our Collecting COVID-19, StoryCorps and digital initiatives. We commit to continuing this work until we can truly say that we live in a nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all people are created equal.

Sandra Clark, Director, and the Management Team of the Michigan History Center.

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