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Recent Posts
- New Interview for the GRPS Uncovered podcast
- New GRPS Uncovered podcast for 7/7/2025
- Radical Grand Rapids: Places, Dates, Actions and People
- New book by long time community activist Paul Mayhue: Another Brother in The Struggle
- New Grand Rapids podcast sheds light on the history of the Grand Rapids Public Schools
Author Archives: Jeff Smith (GRIID)
Grand Rapids Public School Board took a stand against Apartheid in 1985
As our research moves forward on the history of the Grand Rapids movement against South African Apartheid, we continue to find important outcomes of the grassroots organizing that took place in the 1970s and 80s. Recently, we posted the second … Continue reading
Doug Van Doren on the Grand Rapids Anti-Apartheid Movement
This interview is with Rev. Doug Van Doren, pastor at Plymouth United Church of Christ in Grand Rapids. The interview is 17 minutes and 30 seconds in length. Doug talks about his own beginnings in the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement, … Continue reading
Archival Anti-Apartheid Flyer from early 1980s Michigan
Recently, we have posted an archival poster that was used in West Michigan by the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement and the second part of a two-part article on the Roots of the Roots of the South African Anti-Apartheid Campaign in … Continue reading
The Roots of the South African Anti-Apartheid Campaign in Grand Rapids – Part II
Last month we posted the first part of a two part series on the roots of the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement in Grand Rapids. Here is part two, which looks at the work done that led to the City of … Continue reading
Archival poster from the Anti-Apartheid Movement in the 1970s
The poster here was recently discovered in the South African Anti-Apartheid archives held by Mark Kane. Mark was involved in the Anti-Apartheid Movement first through his work with the American Friends Service Committee in West Michigan and later with the … Continue reading
The Roots of the South African Anti-Apartheid Campaign in Grand Rapids – Part 1
In the past month, we have posted a few stories on the South African Anti-Apartheid movement in Grand Rapids. One posting dealt with the campaign to pressure the City to divest from a bank, which had holding in South African, … Continue reading
There was a whole community behind them: Public support for the Grand Rapids Central American Sanctuary
As was mentioned in a previous posting, the Grand Rapids Central American Sanctuary House was part of a national movement in the 1980s to provide safe housing and solidarity to Guatemalans and Salvadorans fleeing political violence. The Koinonia House declared … Continue reading
Grand Rapids Cartoonist Created Anti-Nuclear Characters in 1980s
As we have mentioned in a previous posting, political cartoons were part of the organized resistance against US policy in Central America in the 1980s. The same cartoonist, Jim Jirous, also created political cartoons that critiqued US nuclear policy. His … Continue reading
Calvin College took a stand against South African Apartheid by Divesting
Last week we posted a piece about the early efforts at organizing in Grand Rapids around defeating South African Apartheid. Numerous community groups and organizations pushed the Grand Rapids City Council to adopt a resolution against having any investments in … Continue reading
An obligation to not participate in racist activities: The South African Anti-Apartheid Movement in Grand Rapids
(This is the first is a series of articles that deals with the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement that was active in Grand Rapids.) The international Anti-Apartheid Movement for justice in South Africa is an interesting case study and an example … Continue reading
Grand Rapids People's History Project 