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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)
News Coverage of the Grand Rapids Center American Sanctuary Movement in the 1980s
This is the second story dealing with the Central American Sanctuary Movement that existed in Grand Rapids. The first story provided an overview of the Grand Rapids Movement. There was limited news coverage of the Grand Rapids Sanctuary house, which … Continue reading
Womyn’s Action Network: Practicing Feminism in Grand Rapids in the 90s
This article is part of a larger project that will look at the various feminist movements in Grand Rapids. We are grateful for the following information that came to us by the late Karen Henry, a co-founder of the Womyn’s … Continue reading
Posted in Feminist Movement
Tagged feminism in grand rapids, fighting patriarchy, womyn's action network
1 Comment
Grand Rapids was part of the Central American Sanctuary Movement in the 80s
(This article is part of a larger project about the Grand Rapids Central American Sanctuary Project. As a matter of full disclosure, this writer was part of that effort.) In the late 1970s and 1980s, US funded counter-insurgency wars were … Continue reading
Anti-Vietnam War Resistance was widespread in Grand Rapids
This article is part of a larger research project on local organizing against the US war in Vietnam. Like in most US cities, Grand Rapids was active in the larger movement agains the US war in Vietnam throughout the later … Continue reading
Posted in Vietnam War Resistance
2 Comments
Calling out Congressman Paul Henry was one tactic in the resistance to US Policy in Central America in the 1980s.
This article is just one piece of a larger project that will explore the movement in Grand Rapids to resist US foreign policy in Central America in the 1980s. During the 1980s, Central America became of central part of US … Continue reading
Why it is important that we learn from our history of resistance and liberation
During the interview process for the People’s History of the LGBTQ Community in Grand Rapids, we asked participants what the value is of being aware of and learning from the rich history of resistance and liberation, no matter what struggle … Continue reading
Grand Rapids People’s History Project Kickoff Event – September 5
Join us for a public event to kick off the newest chapter of the Grand Rapids People’s History Project. Grand Rapids has such a rich history of resistance, whether it is small acts of resistance or social movements for collective … Continue reading
Ferguson and the System of White Supremacy: What we can learn from the 1967 Riot in Grand Rapids
While attending a symbolic action in Grand Rapids, an action in support of what is happening in the aftermath of the police shooting of a young Black man in Ferguson, MO, I heard someone say, “we need to be vigilant … Continue reading
One of the earliest critiques of Amway and American Imperialism – 1971
Those of us living in West Michigan are not used to any substantive critique of the most powerful company in the area, Amway. Indeed, the only real critiques have been found in alternative news source or Indy Media. While working … Continue reading
Posted in Anti-Capitalism/Labor
Tagged Amway, Amway and Capitalism, Calvin Chimes, corporate exploitation
3 Comments
Nuclear Resistance in Grand Rapids – 1985
People have engaged in all sorts of opposition to nuclear weaponry and militarism in West Michigan since nuclear weaponry was used against the civilian populations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. We found the picture included here from an action that … Continue reading
Posted in Anti-Nuclear Movement
Tagged GR People's History, nuclear resistance, street theatre
1 Comment
Grand Rapids People's History Project 