Community Historians Workshop provided a fabulous opportunity to hear directly from people who attended GRPS schools in the 1960s

Editors note: Images used in this post are from Grand Rapids Press articles and a WOODTV8 editorial from that period, all of which can be found here. 

Last Saturday was the first in a series of workshops that explored the history of the Grand Rapids Public Schools. The workshop was primarily led by GVSU Professor Leanne Kang, which I interviewed about this series on September 2nd.

The focus of last Saturday’s workshop was on what was happening in the Grand Rapids Public Schools during the 1960s and 70s. Dr. Kang began with some important contextual comments, stating:

The 1960s and 1970s was a breathtaking period in American history, socially, politically, and culturally, because through people’s protest, many of whom were students, it challenged cultural norms of all sorts of hierarchies that had been established over the 20th century. The 60s marked the height of the Civil Rights Movement, and other movements branching from it – the Chicano Movement, the American Indian Movement (AIM), the Asian American Movement, the Third World Liberation Front, Women’s Liberation, Gay Liberation, the Environmental Movement……and the federal government responded, passing critical federal legislation (such as the Civil Rights Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), many of which are under attack now.

When it comes to the history of US public education specifically, the 1960s and 1970s is also incredibly pivotal or consequential. The 1960s was a period of mass protest against segregated schools that forced the federal government to respond, followed by backlash and retrenchment in the 1970s. 

There was not a large turnout for the event, but at least half of those in attendance were students at either South High or Ottawa Hills High School during the 1960s. Their first hand experience was an invaluable part of the conversation. 

It was instructive to hear from those who attended Ottawa Hills High School that they were unaware at the time of what was happening at South High and that racial tensions were not anywhere near the level of what was happening in regards to what was taking place at South High, especially around the issue of the imposing a dress code that profoundly impacted Black students, in what later became known as the Mustache affair.

Those in attendance that went to South High talked a great deal about what went down during that period and how it has continued to impact public education and the Black community since. Several of those who were students tin the 1960s talked about how the impact of the closure of South High and how it ties to the way the Grand Rapids Public School district has evolved, especially with the two-tiered system, where some schools, like City High, cater to students from privilege, while other students are often taught by substitute teachers, with fewer resources, along with lower expectations for the students who attend Union or Ottawa Hills. 

In addition, several of those who attended South High are involved with an effort to reclaim and maintain this critical part of history in Grand Rapids. This group has lots of in person meetings, functions and events, along with having their own Facebook page.

The next Community Historians workshop will take place on Saturday, October 25th, with details at this link.

Lastly, here is a timeline that was also share with participants.