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Author Archives: Jeff Smith (GRIID)
Grand Valley Labor News series on Amway – 1980
We recently received a three-part series of articles written by Michael Johnston, a Grand Rapids labor historian and former journalist with Grand Valley Labor News (GVLN). This recently acquired three-part series is important, since he provides important analysis about co-founders … Continue reading
1991 Resistance to the Gulf War in Grand Rapids: Part II
In Part I of this article, we looked at how people in Grand Rapids resisted the US military attack on Iraq in the early part of 1991. In today’s post we will look at the aftermath of that US war … Continue reading
1991 Resistance to the Gulf War in Grand Rapids: Part I
In the summer of 1990, it began clear that the US government was beginning to marginalize Iraq, with the intent of going to war with the Middle Eastern nation. The US was claiming that Iraq’s border dispute with Kuwait was … Continue reading
Anti-Contra Aid action from 1986 in Grand Rapids
As we have mentioned in numerous postings before, there was an active Central American Solidarity Movement in the 1980s, resisting the US wars in El Salvador, Guatemala and the US funding of the Contra War in Nicaragua. US aid to … Continue reading
Print honors the legacy of Cole Dorsey and West MI for Animals
Nearly three years ago we interviewed Cole Dorsey, one of the activist and organizers with the 1990s group known as West Michigan for Animals. This new print, from GVSU student Mackenzie Fox, both celebrates and honors the legacy of Cole … Continue reading
Print Celebrates 1960s Freedom Rider from Grand Rapids, Walter Bergman
Over two years ago, we posted an article about Walter Bergman, a university professor from Michigan, who was badly beaten while participating in the Freedom Rides in 1960. In that article we honored the commitment and sacrifice that Dr. Bergman … Continue reading
The Black Community made demands of the Grand Rapids Police Department in 1970
There is ample evidence that African Americans in Grand Rapids have always been the target of intimidation, harassment and violence from law enforcement. This history plagues the black community today, with recent incidents of police traumatizing black youth who were … Continue reading
