Paige Huber
Research Mentor: Robert Mickey
Mentor Department: Political Science, LSA
Author(s): Paige Huber, Robert Mickey
Session: Session 3 (11:00 AM – 11:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 34
Abstract
This project examines how the Washtenaw County government contributed to racial discrimination against African American residents. While discussions of historical racism often focus on federal or state policies, this research centers the county as an active decision-maker whose actions caused lasting harm. By focusing on local government records, the project highlights how racism was produced and enforced at the county level rather than imposed solely from above. The research is based on archival analysis of official Washtenaw County documents, including administrative records and government proceedings. These materials are used to identify moments where county policies or actions directly disadvantaged African American residents and to trace the long-term effects of those decisions. Working with primary sources allows the project to ground its argument in documented institutional behavior. My research is focusing on the Ann Arbor Human Relations Commission and analyzing if their goal of investigating and dealing with “issues of racial discrimination in housing and employment†was achieved. Having reviewed hundreds of Ann Arbor City Council minutes, I plan to further ground my analysis by researching the tangible impact the Commission has had on local policy and community protections by tracing its involvement across decades of Ann Arbor City Council activity. By analyzing these patterns over time, I aim to assess how the Commission has shaped decision-making at the county and local level and whether its presence translated into meaningful protections for marginalized residents, rather than existing solely as a symbolic body.
