Black History
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Judson C. Graine was born in Paw Paw, Michigan. Later, he moved to Kalamazoo, where his enthusiasm for horses and…
Black History
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Duane L. Roberts was a native son of Kalamazoo, and one of its most important voices for community change for…
Black History
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One of several existing legal associations in Kalamazoo, is the Charles A. Pratt Bar Association, which takes its name from…
Black History
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Little is known of the life of Wallace F. W. Stafford aside from a few early life events that speak…
Black History
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Mary Mace Spradling’s revolutionary act of diversifying the library collection is only one part of her legacy as a librarian.
Black History
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“Gil has something unique to offer our community. During his ten years as a resident of Kalamazoo, he has been…
Black History
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Among the earliest pioneers in Oshtemo Township were Enoch Harris and his family, the first black settlers in Kalamazoo County.…
Black History
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Of all the dance orchestras and concert ensembles that Kalamazoo produced during the 19th century, the Phillips Brothers’ Orchestra was…
Black History
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“An extraordinary personality, who is a physician, surgeon, community leader, oral historian, sportsman, raconteur, and author.”
Black History
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In 1999, Anna Whitten received the Women of Achievement Award from the YWCA of Kalamazoo. In their brochure for the…
Black History
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Albert White was an African American building contractor who lived and worked in Kalamazoo from the 1870s until his death…
Black History
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Margaret Minott was the first African American elected to the Kalamazoo Board of Education. She was instrumental in the effort…
Black History
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Hill’s influential contributions to life in Kalamazoo during the late 19th and early 20th century are deserving of chronicling, for…
Black History
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Pauline Byrd Johnson was many things: an outspoken critic of forced desegregation policies, an active member of the Kalamazoo Republican…
Black History
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In January of 2003, the Justice Center facility at Crosstown Parkway and S. Burdick Street was named in honor of…