Illustration by Tabi Walters
That’s the title of an exhibit on the second floor of the downtown library. Subtitled “45 Years of Pages from the Ann Arbor Observer,” it covers five large walls with reproductions of 500 pages published in the magazine between 1976 and 2022. “Our archivists selected pages based upon their aesthetics, and what that page says about that moment,” says AADL director Eli Neiburger.
The collection opens with drawings of student life on the Diag—a cover from May 1977 by Richard Ahern. Mary and Don Hunt had started the magazine less than a year earlier. They personified their tagline—“It keeps you in touch with the town”—by hand-distributing 7,500 copies. Circulation is now 53,000, with Patricia Garcia as publisher and John Hilton as editor since 1986.
Though many of the older pages have yellowed with age, the content seems quite contemporary, says Neiburger. “We are still talking about many issues discussed in that first issue.” Topics included growth and development, parking, and Black history.
“The Story Behind a Famous Photo,” from 1979, gives the backstory of Alfred Eisenstaedt’s iconic shot of a Michigan drum major followed by laughing children trying to match his high-stepping stride. For a 1984 election story, political rivals and future mayors Liz Brater and Ingrid Shelton hug in the photo, while a 2014 interview catches up with eighty-seven-year-old congressman John Dingell. Profiles include gay activist Jim Toy, artist David Zinn, and cyclist Doris West.
A 2009 article highlights a big loss for the community: “Hard Times at the Ann Arbor News.” A 1990 story describes the 100th birthday for another local publication still going strong: the Michigan Daily.
Ads remind us of notable businesses now closed: Jacobson’s, Collected Works, Wilderness Outfitters, and Compumart—which in 1982 was offering an Atari 800 for $950. People sought love and companionship in personal ads, including “SWPF, 42, ISO S/DWPM match player for golf and life.”
Look closely at other pages and you’ll see some surprises, such as a 1988 calendar item about Ellen DeGeneres and Sinbad performing at the Mainstreet Comedy Showcase.
The most recent cover, from November 2020, is a pandemic flashback: Jaye Schlesinger’s painting of her granddaughter gazing at a computer screen and wearing blue headphones was titled Virtual School.
The pages displayed are just a fraction of the 65,000 Observer pages digitized by the library for safekeeping and to commemorate the Ann Arbor Bicentennial. They’ll be on display through September 15, and the entire archive is online at aadl.org/annarborobserver.
Related: Bicentennial Investments
