Showcasing authentic stories from the community

In a harmonious convergence of art and history, the Grand Rapids Public Museum will present the final installment of its “GR Stories: 14th Amendment – Living, Loving, and Learning” series. This series, culminating on Tuesday, August 6, at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, explores the profound impacts of the Fourteenth Amendment through the lens of local experiences in Grand Rapids. The event, titled “Living in Grand Rapids,” features a dynamic panel discussion on the history of housing discrimination and the protections established in response.

“We are proud to partner with the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation to create a space where our community can share authentic stories of their experiences in Grand Rapids,” said Dale Robertson, President and CEO of the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “Through this discussion, we hope audiences will learn something new about their community. These stories become part of our Collections, highlighting the enormous impacts of residents from the founders of Auburn Hills neighborhood to President Gerald R. Ford.”

The Great Migration, a significant historical movement from the 1910s to the 1960s, brought many African Americans from the South to northern cities like Grand Rapids, seeking to escape Jim Crow laws and find employment. However, upon arrival, they faced legal and cultural limitations that confined them to small ghetto areas. In Grand Rapids, this was the southeast side of the city. Legal tools like restrictive covenants and redlining entrenched these segregation lines, reinforcing the cultural prejudices of the time.

Many esteemed Grand Rapids residents, historians, and housing advocates will be in attendance, sharing their insights and stories. Panelists include Beverly Grant, Cheryl Franks, Richard Norton Smith, Lee Weber, and Doretha Ardoin, with moderation by Rev. Joe Jones. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the discussion beginning at 6 p.m. Carla Hills, who served as President Ford’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, will open the event with a video message. This discussion will illuminate how national legislative changes, supported by the Fourteenth Amendment, have influenced local lives and continue to shape the community.

The panel will delve into key historical moments such as the Supreme Court’s Shelley vs. Kraemer decision in 1948, which ruled that racially restrictive covenants could not be enforced by the state, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, championed by then-Congressman Gerald R. Ford. These pivotal moments will be explored through three unique stories: the development of the Auburn Hills neighborhood to allow African Americans to purchase homes, President Ford’s early life in Grand Rapids and its influence on his support for the Fair Housing Act, and the establishment of the Fair Housing Center.

The event is free to the public, but advanced registration is recommended at www.grpm.org/gr-stories/.

Following the panel discussion, audiences are encouraged to continue exploring the theme of housing discrimination by attending Circle Theatre’s performances of “A Raisin in the Sun.” Few literary works have so authentically encapsulated the urban housing issue like this play by author Lorraine Hansberry— the first work penned by an African American woman to be performed on Broadway. Its title, taken from Langston Hughes’s poem “Harlem,” poignantly asks, “What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun?”

This powerful psychological study explores the struggles of a working-class Black family facing housing discrimination in late 1940s Chicago. This summer, Circle Theatre will bring this iconic play to life in Grand Rapids, offering audiences a profound engagement with themes of fair housing and social justice.

From August 8 through August 24, Circle Theatre will present 12 performances of “A Raisin in the Sun,” inviting the community to delve into Hansberry’s poignant narrative. The production not only showcases the family’s battle against housing discrimination but also echoes the broader history of the fight for fair housing. Tickets for this compelling performance can be purchased at https://circletheatre.org/individual-tickets/.

For those seeking deeper insights, the National Constitution Center provides extensive resources on the Fourteenth Amendment, including classroom materials, videos, and comprehensive analyses. The “GR Stories: Living” event and Circle Theatre’s production are supported by The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Circle Theatre, and the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan.

For more information on these events and the work of the Grand Rapids Public Museum, visit grpm.org.