MUSKEGON, Mich. — Gathered in a room named after Black educator Dr. Doris Rucks, dozens of Lakeshore residents came together at the Muskegon Heights Library to celebrate Black History by educating one another.
"The heritage of Black history means a lot to the city of Muskegon," said Muskegon Vice Mayor Willie German Jr. "Muskegon is one of the most segregated counties in the nation."
German Jr. says the Black History being taught in schools is merely a fraction of the whole story, and events like this work to better inform the community. Speakers touched on things like the family of Martin Luther King Jr., the history behind Juneteenth and their own personal experiences being Black in West Michigan.
"The older ones, the seniors, they are the history," German Jr. said. "They’ve lived the history and they can tell the stories to their grand children and their children and great grands."
The event was free to attend for the community, and was also available virtually. One of the speakers joined from Washington DC, wanting to be a part of the discussion taking place in her hometown. Organizers say the goal is to continue having Black History education events throughout the year, as well as hosting events aimed at serving Black voters, and giving a platform to Black candidates for local office ahead of the election.
"We want to get everybody involved to let them know their vote counts," German Jr. said. "Hopefully this Black History program can chime in on some of that."
The event was hosted by the Muskegon County Democratic Party Black Caucus.
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