The collection contains a broad array of documents as it chronicles the years of an intellectually-centered community activist. There are published journals, typewritten letters, handwritten notes, flyers and announcements, and many pages of “meeting materials.” Of particular interest are the back-and-forth arguments within the Marxist groups concerning organization and hierarchy, true purpose and ideology, and their expectation of members. The collection also contains numerous research papers on Marxist thought, prepared by Jacobs and others for study and discussion, as well as various newspaper clippings recording significant events in Jacobs’ personal, political and intellectual life. Jacobs’ role as one of the plaintiffs in Benkert v. State of Michigan, (the “Red Squad” case) – in which state-sanctioned surveillance of lawful citizen activities was ruled unconstitutional – is represented by his personal files of attorney correspondence, legal papers, and articles. The more recent materials in the collection contain many Detroit city government reports, bureaucratic forms, and memoranda, reflecting Jacobs’ increasing involvement with city programs. The time period of the collection is from approximately 1965 to 1984.