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Recent Posts
- The Mustache Affair in Grand Rapids, as reported on by the Commercial Media in 1966
- A Legacy of Pride and Struggle in the Grand Rapids LGBTQ Community
- Student Protests and an Unruly Audience: Earth Day 1970 in Grand Rapids
- Celebrating the Grand Rapids Furniture Workers Strike of 1911: Lessons for contemporary organizing and resistance
- Artwork highlights a People’s History in Grand Rapids – Print #12 – the struggle for LGBTQ equality in West Michigan
Author Archives: Jeff Smith (GRIID)
The Mustache Affair in Grand Rapids, as reported on by the Commercial Media in 1966
(Special Thanks to the Grand Rapids Public Library and the Grand Rapids City Archives for assisting with finding the material sources here.) Chapter 4 of Todd Robinson’s important and insightful book, A City Within a City: The Black Freedom Struggle … Continue reading
A Legacy of Pride and Struggle in the Grand Rapids LGBTQ Community
This week Pride celebrations are happening all across the globe. These celebrations are rooted in the Stonewall riot that took place in the summer of 1969. Pride celebrations have evolved over the years and many believe that it has become … Continue reading
Student Protests and an Unruly Audience: Earth Day 1970 in Grand Rapids
Earth Day activities were planned across the country on April 22, 1970. Grand Rapids was also included in those communities that celebrated Earth Day. Based on articles from the Grand Rapids Press, there were three separate activities that received attention … Continue reading
Celebrating the Grand Rapids Furniture Workers Strike of 1911: Lessons for contemporary organizing and resistance
On April 19, it will be 106 years since hundreds of furniture workers walked off the job in Grand Rapids protesting working conditions, wages and the lack of an 8 hour work day. We have been researching this historic event … Continue reading
Artwork highlights a People’s History in Grand Rapids – Print #12 – the struggle for LGBTQ equality in West Michigan
Last semester, art students in Brett Colley’s GVSU class on printmaking, invited me to come talk about the Grand Rapids People’s History Project. The intent of the class was to have students investigate their own part of a People’s History … Continue reading
Interview with Odawa War & Peace Chief 1993
This posting is based on an interview from the independent newspaper, The Fundamentalist in the summer of 1993. The entire interview is linked in the posting, but a summary is what we are providing. One of the co-editors of the … Continue reading
Artwork highlights a People’s History in Grand Rapids – Print #11 – Animal Rights Movement in West Michigan
Last semester, art students in Brett Colley’s GVSU class on printmaking, invited me to come talk about the Grand Rapids People’s History Project. The intent of the class was to have students investigate their own part of a People’s History … Continue reading
