Rackham School of Graduate Studies

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• Construction funded by Horace H. Rackham and Mary A. Rackham in 1935 with a gift of more than $10 million dollars (“A Historical Tour of the University of Michigan campus, 2007”)
• Today, the present-day Rackham School is situated in between North Quad, a living and learning community, and the first Jewish cemetery in the state of Michigan. (Brennan 2015).
• Prior to construction, 30 buildings had to be demolished including noted early twentieth century student eating club, “Freeman’s.” (The Michigan Alumnus, November 12, 1938, page 101).
• Architecturally designed to face Hatcher Graduate Library, inspired by the plan of the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. (“World’s Columbian Exposition…” 1892).
• Now serves as a school for graduate students seeking master’s degrees and Ph.D’s in a number of disciplines and as a space for lectures and talks. (“A Historical Tour of the University of Michigan campus, 2007”)
• On April 12, 1955, Dr. Thomas Francis of the University of Michigan School of Public Health and University of Michigan Polio Evaluation Center announced that the vaccine for polio developed by Francis’ former research assistant Dr. Jonas Salk was effective from the Rackham auditorium. After a year of clinical trials and decades of afflicted patients, this highly-anticipated announcement represented a breakthrough in scientific innovation and changed the course of countless lives (Thomas Francis papers; G. Mennen Williams papers).
• The announcement coincided with the ten-year anniversary of noted polio victim President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s death. (Thomas Francis papers).

Sources

• “A Historical Tour of the University of Michigan campus, 2007”; The Bentley Historical Library. University of Michigan.
• “Assembly Hall.” Rackham Graduate School. University of Michigan. http://www.rackham.umich.edu/rackham-building/assembly-hall
• Brennan, James. “Michigan’s First Jewish Cemetery.” Michigan Markers. 2015. http://www.michmarkers.com/startup.asp?startpage=L1039.htm
• [G. Mennen Williams (1911-1988) papers]. The Bentley Historical Library. University of Michigan.
• Biderman, John, O. “History of the Rackham Building.” Rackham Graduate School. University of Michigan. n.d. http://www.rackham.umich.edu/about/history/history-of-the-rackham-building
• Powers, Thomas and Williams, Brian. “Poliomyelitis and the Salk Vaccine.” 1996.
• The Michigan Alumnus, November 12, 1938, page 101. The Bentley Historical Library. University of Michigan.
• [Thomas Francis (1900-1969) papers]. The Bentley Historical Library. University of Michigan.
• University of Michigan School of Public Health Records 1909-1992. The Bentley Historical Library. University of Michigan.
• World’s Columbian Exposition: State of Michigan. The Act of the Legislature Creating the Board of World’s Fair Managers for the State of Michigan. Rules And Regulations of the Boards And General Information Concerning the Exposition. Flint, Mich.: W.H. Werkheiser & Sons, 1892.

Image credits

• “Rackham Graduate School.” University of Michigan. http://www.rackham.umich.edu/rackhamgrad/
• “Harlan Hatcher, Thomas Francis, Jonas Salk, and Basil O’Connor at Polio Vaccine announcement; BL006836.” The Bentley Historical Library. University of Michigan. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhl/x-bl006836/BL006836?from=index;lasttype=boolean;lastview=thumbnail;med=1;resnum=7;size=20;sort=relevance;start=1;subview=detail;view=entry;rgn1=ic_all;q1=thomas+francis+polio