Justice InDeed will launch the next phase of its project documenting the history of racial segregation and housing inequality in Washtenaw County: an online crowdsourcing website to identify racially restrictive covenants from thousands of property records. These restrictive covenants were primarily aimed at Black people, as well as other racial, religious, and ethnic groups, and used to prevent them from living on properties throughout the county.

In this lecture, Detroit-based historian Anthony Brogdon will focus on what he calls "Good Black History": the stories of Black business owners in the 1800s. Learn who they were and how they did it during this presentation and discussion.

Anthony Brogdon is producer of Business in the Black documentary which toured to over 40 US cities, Toronto, Canada and London, England, author of Black Business Book, and host of the podcast Strong Inspirations which is viewed internationally, and to date has featured over 500 guests.

Join us for a celebration of the French Dukes! Author Debbie Taylor will kick things off with a reading of her picture book, Step It Up! The French Dukes! Set in 1960's Ann Arbor, Kenny’s story is inspired by the real-life French Dukes Precision Drill Team. Members of the original team will talk with Debbie about their experience, and then do a short performance. They will also share what's happening with young community members today! Books will be for sale and Debbie Taylor will be available to sign them.

Bob Krzewinski and Bill Shea of Veterans For Peace-93 will discuss Martin Luther King Jr.'s views on militarism as he defined them in the 1960’s and project how he might respond to today’s current events.

"Let the black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder, and bullets in his pocket, and there is no power on the earth or under the earth that can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship" - Frederick Douglass, April 6, 1863.

Join host Joyce Hunter of the African American Cultural and Historical Museum and interviewees from Phase 10 of the Living Oral History Project. These interviews serve as a road map illustrating what local African Americans witnessed, experienced, and contributed to building the community we share today.  Watch a clip reel of interviews with Carol Allen, Alice Brennan-Key, Sandra Harris, Carl James Johnson, and Janie Lee Ross, followed by a meet and greet and refreshments.

Join Professor Peter Boykin for a presentation on the history of Juneteenth which acknowledges the ending of slavery, and learn how this new national holiday has helped African Americans transition through the centuries.

Professor Peter Boykin is a history instructor at Wayne County Community College District in Detroit. He is also a public speaker on numerous topics pertaining to African American History ranging from Reconstruction to the accomplishments of several family members including Johnson Whittaker, his great-great-grandfather.

The Great Migration transformed America’s cultural landscape, impacting cities and towns across the nation, including Detroit and Washtenaw County. Participants will learn about the exodus of more than 6 million African Americans from the deep South to the North, Midwest, and West Coast between 1910-1970.

See how a month-long project inspired by Black History Month is shaping up as the month winds down.

Watch an AADL staff member use library resources in order to plan and gather inspiration for a month long personal project. Stay tuned for an update when the results are revealed.