Thanks to the DEIB team and EES for organizing the field trip to the Jim Crow Museum on Nov. 1. A dozen faculty joined staff and community members on the bus to Ferris State, which hosts the museum in the basement of its library. 

 The museum was intense; the figurines, posters, texts and other racist artifacts are a sobering reminder of the insidious power of stereotypes. Museum exhibits connect the dots from Aunt Jemima and minstrel shows to the violence of the Jim Crow era and the present day. Marcus Bennett, Special Assistant to the President for DEI, led debrief sessions for the tour groups. 

We left the museum talking about how valuable it would be for our students to be able to visit the museum. We are potentially hatching a plan, so if you’re interested in bringing a class or inviting students, please contact Janet Lively.