Innovators: Celebrating Black History

Date: Saturday, February 3

Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: Free with Admission

Description: This one day program showcases local collaborators initiatives that have impacted local, national, and global communities in innovative ways. Additionally, this program will kick off the Museum’s STEAM month with programming through the month of February as well as an exploration of local community leaders through exhibit and artifact highlights. Community partners will  share information, prototypes, products, creations, ideas and more as with Museum guests. 

Innovators: Celebrating Black History is a chance to celebrate the past, present, and future of black innovators here in Grand Rapids. Visitors will explore artifacts from our collection that highlight African American innovations.

Museum guests can also explore the temporary display featuring the recently discovered magic lantern slides featuring 69 photographs of The Tuskegee Institute, now referred to as Tuskegee University. The Museum will showcase these rare slides along with period photography equipment during the month of February in the Streets of Old Grand Rapids, inside the central window of the Voigt Herpolsheimer Co. section of the exhibit.

Additionally, the Museum is partnering with Warner Norcross and Judd LLP to showcase the winners of their 19th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Legacy Contest. Students’ work will be displayed on the first floor near A is for Auto.

Community Partners Include:

• Legacy & Love/Black Voices At The River
• Black Book Exchange Box
• BARB’S BANGLES 
• Casual Simulation
• STEM Greenhouse
• Grand Rapids Black Nurses Association 
• STEM Greenhouse
• The Midwest Tech Project