Area History

Historic Bethel AME Church in Ann Arbor

Historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Ypsilanti

Celebrating Local History

African Americans settled in Washtenaw County, established families, churches, small businesses and social organizations. They fought discrimination and built thriving communities that have lasted for generations. Another Ann Arbor encourages celebration of its past and present with several different projects and partnerships that preserve the  history of the county.

Historical Products available on this site in VHS or DVD format:

Jones School
In 1965 the Ann Arbor Public Schools closed the predominantly Black Jones School and bussed the children to various schools around the city to achieve racial integration. Today those children who were bussed are adults and speak for themselves on this video.

“A Woman’s Town”  was funded through a grant from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. This documentary tells the history of Blacks in Ann Arbor as seen through the eyes of five older women. This documentary was placed in the Library of Congress by Congressman Carl Purcell. To see clips from this documentary click on “A Woman’s Town “ and follow the links.

“A Change Was in the Air” documents the civil rights period in Ann Arbor, including the famous BAM strike on campus, the Black English case, the equal housing ordinance and school busing to achieve racial balance.

"Take it to the Top" is a motivational piece which shows the careers of young adults who grew up in Ann Arbor and are enjoying successful careers here. The message to youth is “you can do it too”

African American Song Book, “The Christmas Sing”
In November 1996, Another Ann Arbor published a song-book of traditional Christmas Carols. "The African American Christmas Sing" is a treasured collection of African American Christmas spirituals retrieved and preserved for our children and our children's children.

Historical Book, “Another Ann Arbor” by Carol Gibson & Lola Jones
This is a book that records the lives of African Americans in Washtenaw County through photographs and well researched stories

To order these material, please contact us.

Useful Links:

• Ann Arbor Community Center
• Bethel A.M.E. Church 
• Brown Chapel A.M.E. 
• Second Baptist Church
• Ann Arbor District library  

Photo Galleries

• Video, Jones School Project
  Anyone interested in obtaining a vhs video of Middle school students interviewing former jones school students please email Lola Jones lojo4u[at]aol.com. The cost is $15.00
• Jones School Project
  Many thanks to those people involved in putting together the Jones School Project. These Photos were kindly donated by Florida Miller, Steve Dixon, Robert Newcomb and others. In this collection are several photos of unknown people from the area, and some with partial names. If you know anybody in these photos not listed, or have a comment about the photo for a better caption, please email info[at]anotherannarbor.org
• Interesting Area Sites
  These are photos taken from around the community. Most of them were collected by Another Ann Arbor. Some are from the old web site.
• Ypsilanti Community
  Thanks to Robert Hunter for contributing these photos. If you know the names of some of these people please email us: info[at]anotherannarbor.org

The African American Cultural and Historical Museum
The purpose of the museum is to preserve the legacy and heritage of the African American presence in the Ann Arbor community.

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