This collection, comprising several individual donations of varying sizes, is divided into six series: Preparatory Phase (before October 3, 1961); The Convention in Session (October 3, 1961-August 1, 1962); Post-Convention Phase (after August 1, 1962); Added materials (after initial processing); Photographs and Scrapbooks; and Maps and Oversized Materials. The first three series are further divided essentially into (A) Personal Correspondence and Manuscript Materials and (B) Printed and Mimeographed Materials. The documents of greatest significance are the personal papers of the individual donors, most of them former delegates to the Constitutional Convention; these papers are arranged by individual donor in each of the three major sections of the collection. The names of the delegate donors are given above; the titles of the convention committees on which they served are listed to indicate the primary usefulness of their papers.

The collection contains printed and mimeographed materials (e.g., minutes, and action journals) pertaining to each of the four operational and the ten substantive committees, as well as complete sets of the delegate and committee proposals. Among the valuable research aids is the two-volume Official Record, which is the indexed verbatim report of the Convention. Relevant newspaper clippings and numerous books, manuals and pamphlets dealing with various aspects of state government and constitutional problems are also included.

A rough inventory of the materials in the collections follows:

Box 1 includes Preparatory Phase (before October 3, 1961) such as Personal Correspondence and Manuscript Materials of Individual Donors, Printed and Mimeographed Materials, Newspaper Articles, Citizen's Advisory Committee Reports (1 binder), and Michigan Constitutional Convention Studies.

Boxes 2-10 includes the Convention in Session (October 3, 1961 - August 1, 1962) such as Personal Correspondence and Manuscript Materials of Individual Donors and Printed and Mimeographed Materials. Post-Convention Phase (after August 1, 1962) begins in box 10.

Box 11 continues Post-Convention Phase (after August 1, 1962) with Personal Correspondence and Manuscript Materials of Individual Donors, Printed and Mimeographed Materials, Newspaper Articles, State of Michigan in the Supreme Court (Proposed Apportionment Plan for the Michigan Legislature) - (1 binder), Voters' Guide to the Proposed Michigan Constitution of 1962, and Assorted books and pamphlets dealing with the Michigan Constitution.

Box 12 contains chiefly books, pamphlets, etc., dealing with diverse aspects of state government and constitutional problems and provided to the convention delegates by various preparatory commissions and agencies. (See also box No. 1 for additional materials falling within this category).

Box 13 contains added materials. This includes Personal Correspondence and Manuscript Materials of Individual Donors in the second series of the Collection and are arranged in the following subject order; within each subject, papers are filed chronologically: a. Operational Committees b. Declaration of Rights, Suffrage and Elections c. Legislative Powers d. Legislative Organization e. Executive Branch f. Judicial Branch g. Local Government h. Education i. Finance and Taxation j. Miscellaneous Provisions and Schedule k. Emerging Problem l. General Proposals m. Con-Con Miscellany (incl. invitations, requests, thank you, meeting information, etc.) n. Unrelated Materials (incl. political party literature) o. Newspaper articles pertaining to the specific donor

Accession HC.00172 included various materials from Denzel Cline. There were numerous newspaper articles that added to the already existing folders that were labeled with the appropriate dates. Added also are six folders at the end of the 11 that pertain to the Citizens For Michigan group and the Citizen's Research Council of - Michigan.