African Americans in the Furniture City
Back in 1850, there were only 17 African Americans living in Grand Rapids, according to the census. This small community grew as the black population migrated from the East and the South. They formed Michigan's First Colored Infantry, in 1864, to fight in the Civil War, and then found upward mobility working for the lumber industry, the Pere Marquette Railroad Company, and the Pantlind Hotel (now the Amway Grand Plaza). They started churches, women's clubs, newspapers, and the first "Colored Athletics" team.
Through archival photos, newspaper clippings, and lots of research, Randal Jelks, director of African and African Diaspora studies at Calvin College, has chronicled their history in his new book, African Americans in the Furniture City. Yesterday, Jelks talked about his research on the black community.
