Walter P. Reuther Library

The Walter P. Reuther Library, located on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit, contains millions of primary source documents related to the Labor history of the United States, urban affairs, and the Wayne State University Archives. The building is named for UAW President and Congress of Industrial Organizations President Walter Reuther.HistoryThe Walter P. Reuther Library, Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs was established at Wayne State University in 1960 to collect and preserve original documents related to the American labor movement. The library is named for early United Auto Workers organizer and president Walter Reuther. For over thirty years, the library's collections grew under the leadership of director Philip P. Mason. In 1975, a dedicated building was constructed for the library using funds donated by the UAW, and a grant from the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Architectural firm Odell, Hewlett, and Luckenbach designed the initial construction. In 1991 the library's Leonard Woodcock Wing was completed, which added over 26,000 square feet to the building.