SHARE: Exploring Kalamazoo's history with racism in order to heal

There's a curious statue situated in Bronson Park, which depicts a Native American bowing down in front of a white man with a rifle. Some, including Jacob Pinney-Johnson, assistant to the director of S.H.A.R.E (Society for History and Racial Equity) have used a different adjective to describe the statue--racist.

In a video that Pinney-Johnson posted on YouTube earlier this year, he says, "If we know anything about America, we know it was built on the genocide of Native Americans, so for in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for us to have a statue of a Native American bowing to a white man across from City Hall or the City Commission is offensive."

He wants to change a white-dominated narrative that writes off these kinds symbols as nothing more than innocent depictions of a community's history by delving into the very real and brutal history of institutional racism and white supremacy. He says he feels it is important to do so not just in broad conversations about our country's history, but also in exploring our own city's original stories.

"Kalamazoo is not that unique to any other city in America; it was birthed in a history of race and racism," Pinney-Johnson says. He points not only to the Natives who were pushed out of Kalamazoo in the 1840's but also to the KKK presence in Kalamazoo. Beginning in the 1920's (several commissioners and then-mayor, George K. Taylor, were believed to be affiliated with or sympathizers of the Klan). The city has also had its share of civil rights activities and struggles in the 1960's.

Lifting up local stories and struggles and connecting them to us and our community is what sets S.H.A.R.E. apart from other anti-racist and justice-based organizations. S.H.A.R.E., formerly known as Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society, was established in 2003.

Its Executive Director Donna Odom says, "Once we began working on our strategic plan and made the decision to include racial healing as part of our mission statement, we realized that our current name, The Southwest Michigan Black Heritage Society, did not accurately reflect our expanded scope. And, to be honest, the name has always been a mouthful."

In addition to being a hub of historical information about African American history, S.H.A.R.E. also fosters connections and conversations on race and racism and the broad societal benefits of its elimination. On Thursday, Nov.19, the group will hold its annual Summit on Racism. The event, to take place this year at the Lawrence Education Center at Borgess Hospital, will be from 7:30 a.m. to noon, and will bring together community members and local organizations to discuss issues of racial inequity and methods of self-empowerment. A networking luncheon following the Summit will allow participants to connect, share ideas for collaboration and develop specific action steps. The entire event is free and open to the public.

"One of the goals of the Summit is to educate the community on the history and impact of racism. Enlightenment leads to transformation," says Odom. "The Summit is intended to evoke individual transformation as it relates to matters concerning race and racial equity. In the breakout sessions, participants will have the opportunity for discussion and discovery, no matter where they find themselves in the quest to create a more just and inclusive community."

Pinney-Johnson, a Loy Norrix graduate, and Promise recipient was born and raised in Kalamazoo. His heritage and connection to racial justice are deeply felt and his family – his father, in particular – influenced his desire to be involved in racial equity and social justice work.

"Being Bi-racial and having to maneuver in between family and culture forced me to think about race, ethnicity, and the part they play in my life," he says. His mother, a white woman, grew up around Gun Lake in the 1950s, a community with little to no diversity. His father, a black man, grew up in Kalamazoo with a family background rich in racial justice work. "Le'ts just say there may have been some awkward times for the two sides of the family," Pinney-Johnson says.

He recalls the story of his grandfather, born in 1903 in a small town Okolona, Miss. When he was 13 years old, he and thousands of other blacks in the south made a great migration to the north. Upon arriving in Kalamazoo, he sent for the rest of his brothers and sisters. "He didn't leave Mississippi because he wanted to. He left because there was no other choice. It was either that or face the lynch mob or other racial persecution," Pinney-Johnson says.

And while the North was historically friendlier during the Jim Crow era, it was still rife with racism. In the 1960's, Pinney-Johnson's father, David Johnson, was a well-known local Kalamazoo civil rights leader. One of his most notable organizing efforts was the Van Avery Drug Store Boycott in1963.  

"Van Avery Drug Store was the main drug store on the north side of Kalamazoo, which at that time, like now, was predominantly African American. Drug stores at that time served as much more than a place to get a prescription. They were also  small diners or stores where neighborhood folk could get penny candy and ice cream malts. Van Avery served 90 percent black folk but refused to hire black people and was known to, at times, let white customers get waved to the front of the line and other 'special' treatments," says Pinney-Johnson.

When David Johnson was 17, he, along with his best friend, applied for a summer job at Van Avery's. The drug store refused them an application for employment. Johnson and his friend, Walt Jones, organized a full-fledged boycott of Van Avery Drug Store for the summer with the support of the local youth chapter of the NAACP. They stood in front of the store and told people not to spend their money at Van Avery because the store refused to hire blacks. The store eventually shut down. "It was a win," Pinney-Johnson says.

A few years later, David Johnson was drafted into the Vietnam War, something Pinney-Johnson refers to as "America's contradiction." A black man couldn't get a job in his hometown, but against his wll he could be sent across the world. The war, he says, took a huge toll on his father, and the conflict between his work for equity at home and his forced separation from his home fueled Johnson's need to work for justice.

Pinney-Johnson knows that his family's history and stories are not an anomaly. "There were cross burnings, boycotts, school desegregation cases, city officials who were members of KKK and a lot of other crazy stuff and struggles for equal rights right here in Kalamazoo."

The Kalamazoo Summit on Racism will explore these kinds of stories as a springboard for conversation about race and racism and the impact that this history has on our community. The Summit offers three tracks to ensure that there is something for everyone:

Track One: Understanding the Journey digs deeper into what racism is, its history in our community, and where we are at today. This track is geared toward individuals looking to learn more about the local history of racism in Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan.

Track Two: Taking Action is for individuals who have an understanding of the history of racism, and people who have taken courses or training on structural oppression and racism. It is geared to help people start taking action steps to dismantle systemic racism.

Track Three: Collaborating is for individuals already doing anti-racism work. This track will look at how to build capacity, collective vision, and effective collaboration. It is geared toward individuals who have a comprehensive analysis of systemic racism and are part of groups/organizations dedicated to dismantling racism.

While the event is free, you must register, here. You can learn more about the event by joining S.H.A.R.E.'s Facebook event. To learn more about the organization, you can visit its website.

Kathi Valeii is a writer, speaker, and activist living in Kalamazoo. She writes about gender-based oppression and full spectrum reproductive rights at her blog, birthanarchy.com.