Author Archives: Jeff Smith (GRIID)
Listen to the latest GRPS Uncovered podcast
In our partnership with GRPS Uncovered, I am sharing the most recent interview with people who have had a direct connection to the Grand Rapids Public Schools since the 1960s. In this special episode, co-hosted by Jermar Sterling, we revisit … Continue reading
Two new interviews from the GRPS Uncovered project and an upcoming Community Historians event
In our partnership with GRPS Uncovered, I am sharing two recent interviews with people who have had a direct connection to the Grand Rapids Public Schools since the 1960s. However, before we share those interviews I was to let people … Continue reading
New Interview for the GRPS Uncovered podcast
GRPS Uncovered is a project started by Professor Leanne Kang, who currently teaches at GVSU and is the author of the book, Dismantled: The Breakup of an Urban School System: Detroit, 1980–2016. In this episode, Dr. Kang interviews Betsaida Valdivia. … Continue reading
New GRPS Uncovered podcast for 7/7/2025
GRPS Uncovered is a project started by Professor Leanne Kang, who currently teaches at GVSU and is the author of the book, Dismantled: The Breakup of an Urban School System: Detroit, 1980–2016. In this episode, Dr. Kang interviews Dennis Miller, … Continue reading
Radical Grand Rapids: Places, Dates, Actions and People
My new book, Radical Grand Rapids: Places, Dates, Actions and People, which is a companion to, A People’s History of Grand Rapids, is now available. You can purchase the book from Schuler Books, directly from sjeff987@gmail.com. Below is an image … Continue reading
New book by long time community activist Paul Mayhue: Another Brother in The Struggle
Paul Mayhie recently reached out to us and asked us to post something about his new book, Another Brother in The Struggle. Here is the description that comes with the book: From the raw fields of Arkansas to the tumultuous … Continue reading
New Grand Rapids podcast sheds light on the history of the Grand Rapids Public Schools
A new podcast called, GRPS Uncovered, takes a critical look at the history of the Grand Rapids Public Schools, through interviews with people who went to school in this district. GRPS Uncovered is a project started by Professor Leanne Kang, … Continue reading
New article on the anti-Apartheid Movement at Grand Valley State College
We got permission to post this article, which was written by Eric Covey, who teaches in the History Department at GVSU. The article originally appeared in Safundi: The Journal of South African and American Studies. “The history of the anti-apartheid … Continue reading
A People’s History of Grand Rapids book is now available
After years of research, interviews and archival materials, A People’s History of Grand Rapids is finally available. Since Howard Zinn wrote A People’s History of the United States, there have been numerous books that have used his model to address … Continue reading
Revolutionary Anarchist Youth zine highlights benefit show in Grand Rapids for political prisoner Geronimo Pratt in 1996
The following post is the second in a series using archival documents from Cole Dorsey, a longtime activist/organizer in Grand Rapids and the Bay Area in California. Below is a page from one of the many zines created by the … Continue reading
Grand Rapids People's History Project 