GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The city of Grand Rapids will consider approving $200,000 for a nonprofit that will create a smartphone tour of African American history in the city’s Third Ward, located in the southern part of the city.
The city commission will receive a recommendation to approve the money at its meeting on Tuesday. The Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives is a nonprofit created in 2019. In those five years, it has reported $526,962 in revenue, including $124,471 in 2023.
MORE NEWS: Report: Less Than 1% of Michigan’s Workforce Made Minimum Wage in 2023
City documents said the tour will celebrate professional boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr., musicians the DeBarge family, Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame singer Al Green as well as other notable residents and historic businesses and churches.
“The project will include the creation of multiple pieces of collateral to celebrate African American pioneers and locations through an interactive self-guided smartphone tour connecting visitors to cultural, economic, and artistic resources in the Third Ward,” a city memo stated. “The City of Grand Rapids has prioritized equity, economic prosperity, and community engagement as part of its strategic plan. This initiative exemplifies these priorities by amplifying historically underrepresented voices, fostering community collaboration, and creating economic opportunities through tourism.”
The tour is projected to start in April 2025.
Leave a Comment
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.