The Military Participation on Campus records includes materials pertinent to Michigan State Normal College students, alumni, faculty, and campus and their participation in the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II.

The American Civil War (1861-1865) began when 11 southern states seceded from the United States in response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President, and formed the Confederate States of America. The remaining 25 states supported the existing union. After four years of conflict, primarily in the southern states, the Confederacy surrendered and re-joined the union; as a result of the war, slavery was outlawed in the entire country. Participants in the conflict from Michigan State Normal College and the Ypsilanti area served as members of the 17th Michigan Infantry as well as the Stonewall Regiment.

The Spanish-American War (1898) was part of a larger conflict between the United States and Spain and was the direct result of American intervention in the Cuban War for Independence. Cubans had struggled against Spanish colonial rule for decades, and after several years of tension, the American battleship Maine was mysteriously sunk in Havana harbor which led to political pressure for U.S. President William McKinley to formally declare war on Spain. The United States attacked Spanish colonies in the Pacific, particularly the Philippines, and secured the surrender of Manila and Santiago de Cuba. The Treaty of Paris ended the conflict, and proved favorable to American interests, including the temporary control of Cuba, as well as uninterrupted colonial control in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Michigan State Normal College participants served in Company G.

World War I (1914-1918) was known as the "Great War" or "World War" until 1939, when it became known as "World War I." The conflict involved all of the major world powers who were aligned on two sides: the Allies (France, United Kingdom, Russia), and the Central Powers (Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary); these alignments changed and fluctuated as additional countries entered the conflict. The United States maintained a stance of non-intervention until 1917, when it entered the conflict as a result of German attacks on American merchant ships. The conflict resulted in the establishment of the League of Nations, the Treaty of Versailles, and the rearrangement of much of Europe and its worldwide colonies.

World War II (1939-1945) is the deadliest conflict in human history, with an estimated death toll of 50 to 70 million. In this conflict, participating countries were aligned on two sides, the "Allies" and the "Axis" powers. The war began in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland and eventually occupied much of continental Europe; much of this territory was annexed by the Soviet Union. In December 1941, Japan attacked the United States and several European territories in the Pacific. The conflict ended after the Allied invasion of Italy and American military victories in the Pacific; eventually Polish and Soviet forces entered Berlin and Germany surrendered unconditionally in 1945. As a result of the conflict, the United Nations was established to foster international cooperation; additionally, the United States and the Soviet Union emerged as rival super powers, laying the foundation for the Cold War and many European nations began the process of decolonisation in Africa and Asia. The Army Specialized Training Program was established during World War II to provide the continuous and accelerated flow of high grade technicians needed by the Army. Qualified soldiers were sent to Michigan State Normal College and other universities for terms of prescribed study.