https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/home daily 1.0 2021-10-22 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616dcf618be08d63e7cbc477/1634586480535/Lin+Dormanhomepage.png Home - Oral Histories Members of Midland’s Black community telling their stories on their own terms, in their own words. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/615ab720ff9562137c72bbda/1634586238577/classroom+copy.jpg Home - Lesson Plan Ideas Black history lesson plan ideas that can be used both inside and outside of the classroom. https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/about daily 0.75 2021-10-21 https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/support daily 0.75 2021-10-21 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/61552d4600cc5e1d02d26e4d/1634783277794/supportnew2.jpg Support - ANTI-RACIST MIDLAND PROJECT FUND #01102 To catalyze an equitable, informed, and engaged Greater Midland community where all people can prosper. To support ongoing exhibit and education efforts, please consider making a contribution. https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/classroom-resources daily 0.75 2021-10-19 https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/oral-histories daily 0.75 2021-10-21 https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/oral-histories/resources monthly 0.5 2021-10-19 https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/oral-histories/project-two-v monthly 0.5 2021-10-19 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e21e9c7183c5928acdd98/1634758641516/linfinall.jpg Midland - First Families - “I always wanted to see the town grow and be part of it.” Linneaus Dorman became the first Black chemist hired by Dow in 1960. Not only did he and his family take on the challenge of being the first Black family most people could remember in Midland, he dedicated himself to making the community more open and accepting. That included serving on the Commission for Community Relations to help tackle issues such as fair housing, serving on the Midland Black Coalition to encourage and support Black people in the city, and advocating for more diversity among teachers in Midland Public Schools. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e224c5c36b05291f864e3/1634781296730/jeaninefinal.jpg Midland - First Families - “We were your everyday, all-American kind of faMily.” Jeannine Gant was the first Black child born in Midland (1966) to George and Ruth Gant, who were recruited by Dow. The hospital did not even have a form to properly denote her race at time of birth, so her parents had to work to change her recorded race from white to African American. Jeannine was also the first Black student to graduate from Dow High. She shares some of the incidents she experienced, like being asked by a high school teacher to speak for all Black people on the topic slavery. But what Jeannine most remembers is a wonderful childhood filled friends and family, athletics and activities, Friday night football games and parties. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e22725b67a345cdc317b2/1638387905166/ronaldhaughtonfinal.jpg Midland - First Families - “We all lived in different neighborhoods, so that – we didn’t want to make a ghetto out of any church… so we spread out to churches and neighborhoods.” Ron Haughton’s family was the second Black family to move to Midland in the 1960s. By the time he arrived, he had grown used to being the only Black person in the room since he was educated in predominantly white schools in Iowa. Ron shares about his childhood, the importance of education, and his impressions of Midland and Dow. Although there were many things he loved about Midland, he remains frustrated that his wife Sandy could never find employment in the city. He reflects on how the culture in Dow and in Midland do not always mirror one another. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/6170e773f76a3974e11d3308/1638387973687/Bettyjones.jpg Midland - First Families - “African Americans have made tremendous contributions to this community.” Betty Jones shared her successes and difficulties with the Midland community over the years. Having grown up in the South, she touches on life in segregated communities, and she also reflects on the Midland “bubble.” An activist and a doer, Betty provides great insight into the activities and work of the early Black community, and the legacy of those efforts. She connects the past to the present with the ongoing work of ARM, which she describes as a needed rebooting. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/6172df7902a4be3f5daf4c4a/1634918271913/preston.jpg Midland - First Families - “One of the things was trying to get people to understand that you were not that different from them.” Preston Jones acknowledges that there were problems in Midland, but he says there are problems anywhere. He shares about the early years and having to advocate for businesses to stock certain foods, hair products, and skincare products, along with work in early awareness groups. Preston offers a wide range of experiences from working for Dow’s patent office, involvement in his kids’ schools, and teaching photography at the Midland Center for the Arts and for traveling school program Art in Action. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/6170e746e2dfef53149ef122/1634840590671/rolandwallacce.jpg Midland - First Families - “I’ve always felt there were ways … to move [the issue of difference] to the point where the difference becomes an opportunity…” Roland Wallace offers a wealth of memories about the early years building support for the Black community through the Midland Black Coalition, his fulfillment in work as a Dow chemist and later working in recruitment, and also challenges for his child in Midland Public Schools. Roland was an active community member. He shared his musical talents with the Midland Symphony, and he joined them to play at the Kennedy Center. Roland shares the humorous story of how he joined the symphony but missed a trip to Europe. https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/oral-histories/1-jw8mh monthly 0.5 2021-10-19 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e39a4436e120111e8c33e/1634781425937/victorfinal.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “For a city this size, it’s actually a remarkable place. It’s aN INTERESTING PLACE.” Victor Atiemo-Obeng first came to Midland as a summer intern in 1970, and then came back to Midland to work for Dow Chemical in the 1980s. He talks about how he had been used to much bigger cities, but he has found Midland to be a safe place that offers many amenities. In addition to sharing about his work experience and family life in Midland, Victor offers some life philosophy about knowing who you are and what you are capable of, and how we need to let youth learn and grow into their passions rather than expecting them to decide too soon. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e39c93866ee2b6d622753/1634763116226/ebenezerfinal.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “The world is changing around us, and you can either embrace it or run away from it. And chances are that the organizations and communities that run away from it are going to be left behind.” Ebenezer Debrah opened up about the subtle ways racism was expressed in the workplace, such as questioning how he got there – the implication being how did an African become a scientist. He shares that in the past it made him angry, but now he lets it go because he understands it’s due to ignorance. He’s willing to have the conversation, recognizing that he can’t change everything, but he can influence the world through others. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/6170f292d3d4161e1d4c64ca/1634837437889/lindafinal.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “Racism is real and so is white privilege. And I think that as long as you are living in that, you don’t see everything else. So someone has to come along and remind you.” Linda Holoman came from California and found her world in Midland to be small. She intended to work and continue her education, but after their (white) childcare worker said her husband did not want her to work for a Black family anymore, Linda decided to she needed to stay home with her kids. She later had a successful career. Linda shared how in the beginning people were not overtly discriminatory, but Black people were viewed as a novelty. She thinks people are more vocal now about saying who gets to belong and who doesn’t. On why Midland’s demographics haven’t really changed, Linda assesses that Midlanders don’t want it to change. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/6170f2a5ffb8ed011a13c675/1634864358971/smallwood.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “So we all have our faults, but we all have a whole lot of good we can share together.” Smallwood Holoman came to Midland to work as a chemist for Dow, and he found his work to be gratifying and rewarding. He did have some interesting experiences as the only Black person in his lab, and he explains how he handled that. Smallwood became very involved with Midland Public Schools, as a father and a member of the school board. He served as a board member for ten years and noted that “schools are the center of our communities.” Smallwood shared many insights about the community, the schools, and his philosophy on how we work through the issues that surround us. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e39e0c0e9a74ff5eb22a8/1634696028145/kimfinal.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “I think what we do in life is we walk into a space, and we look for ourselves.” Kimberly Houston-Philpot worked for Dow Corning for 32 years, and then worked for Central Michigan and also served as interim director for YWCA GLBR. While refinancing her first Midland house, she discovered in the title history that she would not have been allowed to own her house before the 1950s due to a housing covenant. Kimberly was very aware that some people dismissed her due to race but that was not her focus in life. She spent her years in Midland working to build community and teach that all people have value. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/6170f589a8206107016039a6/1634792863647/delois.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “I remember those days where this community had a rhythm and it did not involve working women. But that has changed.” Delois Leapheart came to Midland in 1983 as the “trailing spouse.” She shares about the difficulties with the community culture being one that expected women to stay home with children. Even so, Delois had a successful career at Dow, Northwood, and is the Executive Director of Adoption Option, a nonprofit she felt called to create. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e3a0e4bb9e421e5d73bfa/1634861148079/felxifinal.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “The arc of progression is very shallow, and it doesn’t move very far in Midland.” Felix McElroy came to Midland in 1978 to work for Dow, and he found Midland to be a smaller community than he was used to. As part of an interracial couple, Felix had an uncommon vantage point on the difficulties the white and Black communities had with one another. He felt everyday seemed to present a new challenge. He shares that while Midland has an ugly side, it also has a kinder, gentler side and his family experienced both. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/617203024ab9836f02261f33/1634861833483/notpictured.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “Easier to ask if there is a time I remember that wasn’t racialized, and not really.” Charity Redfern shares the challenges of raising Black children in Midland Public Schools. She stayed very active in volunteering and monitoring how her children were treated in classrooms and afterschool activities. By high school, kids grew bolder in expressing racism, and the schools really did not want to address it. Charity also remembers frustrations with law enforcement, including having the police called because they were “moving in too loud.” https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e3a260e5a5418b7165b4c/1634748175802/ Midland - Work and Community - “I need you to understand that Dow didn’t hire Black people out of the goodness of their hearts. It was because of the law.” Janis Smith explains why Midland was often a great place to live – the opportunities, the arts, education, sports – but how it was often hard, especially raising children. Janis shares that Midland did not provide a warm welcome, and they often had to lean on Bay City and Saginaw for help and services. She acknowledges that there has been some progress toward inclusivity – “not giving stars yet,” but some progress. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e3a4044ad7f37dc5b1649/1634763177185/erinfinal.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “…Have to teach them the difference between genuine love and somebody liking you for what you can give them.” Erin Walker’s kids were valued for their athletic and artistic talents, but that wasn’t always the same thing as being accepted for their whole selves. Although Erin misses the diversity of the city life she grew up with, she values opportunities Midland offered and remains rooted here for family. She also provides an honest reflection of the ways in which her family was excluded, and how after awhile and a willingness to educate your neighbors, she has to wonder if it’s just repeating herself or actual education anymore. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e3a55927761174096afbb/1634689907747/davidfinal.jpg Midland - Work and Community - “[Midland is] not a community in the broadest sense that embraces diversity, let alone Black Lives Matter, let alone as something unique and important.” Lois and David Wilkins came to work for Dow in the late 1980s. David’s position had them transfer in an out of Midland a couple times and Lois shifted her focus to volunteer community work. The Wilkins experienced many acts of racism including finding a noose hanging in one of their trees and being told their son should not date white girls, among other examples. Ultimately, on David’s last transfer back to Midland, they opted to live in Freeland instead. The Wilkins found a community that lacked knowledge about Black culture and history. Dow evolved because it is international, but that is not indicative of the Midland community. https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/oral-histories/project-one-v monthly 0.5 2021-10-19 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e24b0da7e9310d7b8c848/1634780921155/erniefinal.jpg Midland - Education - “If you want respect, you have to give respect… When you see there is a need to help someone, reach out.” Ernie Carter was one of the first Black teachers in Midland Public Schools, (Ruby Helton Riley was the first) hired after MBC petitioned superintendent George Owen to hire more Black teachers. Ernie shared about his childhood in Mississippi, the importance of the civil rights movement, and why despite some racist incidents, he found his home in Midland. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e252081afec617963cd6e/1634918772572/aaronchatmanfinal.jpg Midland - Education - “Black was my identity. I was ‘Black’ beforE I was a person.” Aaron Chatman recounts navigating school pressures. Despite being proud of who he was, he faced repeated negative racial comments throughout middle and high school. Even though he had friends and activities and was part of the overall school community, Aaron was never allowed to forget he was Black in a predominantly white school. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e263cea58aa04e713ff7b/1634752148369/averychatman.jpg Midland - Education - “As soon as you try to dismiss [racism] someone else is going to experience it, so you try to correct it right there; you try to have a conversation.” Avery Chatman realized that teachers were not equipped to handle racism and the topic was rarely discussed in school. He shares how hard it was to not get angry about the daily racism he and his brothers experienced, and how the microaggressions, hurtful comments, and lack of intervention all took a toll. But he also recognizes that staying angry will not help bring about change, so he tries to have the hard conversations. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e2727ea58aa04e714147c/1634781052169/johnnychatmanfinal.jpg Midland - Education - “In Midland, I still know that I’m a Black man as opposed to just being a man.” Johnny Chatman provides insight about his experiences working as a Midland Public Schools teacher, raising a family, and living in Midland. Having grown up in Carrollton, he talks of the regional perspective of Midland as part of “up North” and also the ways in which Midland was a nice place to live. Johnny discusses the lack of progress in the schools, and the ways Midland mirrors the national pictures, including policing. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/616e27eec7183c5928ad4d87/1634748606713/jonathanfinal.jpg Midland - Education - “I don’t think a lot of people who really love Midland understand how Midland is not always loving to people.” Jonathan Haynes recounts his childhood, growing up in Midland, and becoming an activist leader during the racial unrest and awakening nationwide during the summer of 2020. Jonathan and fellow ARM leader and interviewer Afua Ofori-Darko discuss founding ARM, their goals, and why it is so important to advocate for Black students in Midland Public Schools. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/61112009edc0b8357bc60e05/t/6171ff5af2b12e48177edb2f/1638387754975/leonardfinal.jpg Midland - Education - “You have to be willing to get out of your comfort zone and get to know someone…” Leonard Haynes came to Midland twice – first as a Northwood student and then as a Northwood coach. He reflects on how, as a student, he remained fairly secluded from the city. He did not experience racism until returning to Midland. He recounts disturbing experiences when strangers spewed their hatred. Leonard shares his sadness over his children’s difficulties in Midland Public Schools along with his deep pride in them for standing for their principles. He also discusses his involvement in Northwood’s Diversity Inclusion Group and their work to bridge gaps, help others understand race issues, and foster inclusion. https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/beyond-midland daily 0.75 2021-10-19 https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/beyond-midland/project-two-xwlc7 monthly 0.5 2021-09-26 https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/beyond-midland/project-two-xwlc7-7bg2g monthly 0.5 2021-10-19 https://www.voicesofblackmidland.com/beyond-midland/project-two-xwlc7-7bg2g-klyct monthly 0.5 2021-09-28