Morrison Hall
Item
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Building Name
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Morrison Hall
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Description
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Morrison Hall was a house left to the University through the will of Affiah J. E. Morrison in 1919. A condition of the will stated that Morrison Hall was only to be used as a residence hall for incoming female students who were unable to pay for suitable housing elsewhere. Scholarships were given to six students, allowing them to live in Morrison Hall free of charge. The University released Morrison Hall in 1953.
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Namesake Biography
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Vanzetti Hamilton was a student at Eastern Michigan University (then Michigan State Normal College), while Morrison Hall was in use. Hamilton Graduated from EMU in 1949 with a bachelors degree, and from Wayne State University in 1957 with a law degree. After law school Hamilton returned to Ypsilanti with hopes of opening his own legal practice. Through his involvement in the Democratic party after college, Hamilton met Peter Darrow. An Ann Arbor lawyer, Darrow was the executor of the Morrison Estate. In an effort to begin diversifying parts of Ypsilanti, Darrow offered to sell the Morrison house to Hamilton, who was an African-American. In 1963, Hamilton purchased the house, living there until 1980.
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Building Namesake
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Affiah J.E. Morrison
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Year Constructed
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1919
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Building Functions
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Private Residence
Co-Operative Residence Hall
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Rights
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This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the owner, Eastern Michigan University Archives (lib_archives@emich.edu).
