Michigan Sites of Revolution - Clio

Entries on This Tour

1. Michigan History Center and Michigan History Museum

The Michigan History Center is the state's main repository for local and state historical records and the flagship of the Michigan Historical Museum System. The museum features 25 galleries whose exhibits tell the story of Michigan's history, from prehistoric times to today. Some staff members even dress in period costume at various points of the year for special events as part of their effort to provide an authentic and engaging experience. Highlights include a white pine, the state's official tree, and a three-story-tall topographical map of Michigan. The Center also houses the state archives, which holds 80 million state and local records, 300,000 photographs, 500,000 books, and also films and audiotapes. The earliest records in the archives date back to 1792.

2. Michigan State Capitol

Michigan's State Capitol was dedicated in 1879. It originally housed all branches of the state government, and today serves as the home of the Governor's Office, the Michigan Senate, and the Michigan House of Representatives. The Capitol is nationally recognized for its architectural importance and Victorian interior design, and was completely renovated in 1992. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.

3. Ford Hunger March (1932) Historical Marker

Dedicated in 1992 and later moved to its present location at UAW headquarters, this historical marker shares the story of a protest by workers against Henry Ford. On the frigid morning of March 7, 1932, a crowd of about 3,000 to 5,000 unemployed auto workers marched a mile along the bridge from Detroit to Dearborn- where the largest Ford factory in the United States was located. The marchers, organized by the Detroit Unemployed Council, carried a list of 14 demands for Henry Ford which included rehiring the unemployed, ending racial discrimination, and granting workers the right to unionize. Despite its being a peaceful march, Dearborn Police and Ford Company's security began assaulting the marchers with tear gas, batons, and ammunition. Five marchers- including a 16-year-old boy- were killed and at least 60 others were wounded by bullets. Thousands then marched five days later in a funeral procession for the dead under the slogan "Smash the Ford-Murphy Police Terror". It wasn't until 9 years later (following a ten day long sit-down strike) that Henry Ford agreed to sign an agreement with the UAW union, making him the last major U.S. automaker to allow an union contract.

4. Gateway to Freedom International Memorial to the Underground Railroad

Historians estimate that as many as 45,000 runaway slaves passed through Detroit on their way to freedom in Canada. Although Michigan was a free state, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made it possible for slave catchers (or any white person) to claim that an African American was a runaway slave pending the decision of a special court that required only the testimony of one white person. The Fugitive Slave Law also barred the accused from defending themselves, a situation that caused many free African Americans to leave the nation of their birth and seek refuge in Canada. The anti-slavery movement in Detroit comprised of African Americans, foreign and native-born whites, and Native Americans who defied the law and worked together to provide safety for thousands of women, men, and children. Sculpted by Ed Dwight and dedicated on October 20, 2001, the Gateway to Freedom International Memorial to the Underground Railroad pays tribute to the city’s contribution and the thousands of railroad conductors who made freedom possible. Several routes diverged on Detroit, code name “Midnight,” and for many, the city was the final destination for freedom seekers until the mid-1830s. After the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, many of the runaways then moved to Canada. Thus, across the Detroit River in Windsor, Canada, the second part of the memorial faces the Gateway to Freedom Memorial in Detroit. From characters such as Peter Denison, who returned to Detroit to lead a Black militia, to Thornton and Ruth Blackburn, this memorial pays tributes to Americans who stood for freedom in an era of slavery.

5. 1847 Kentucky Raid: The Underground Railroad and Fugitive Slave Law in Cass County, Michigan

In 1847 Kentucky plantation owners followed a group of escaped slaves and recaptured them in Cass County, Michigan. The following court case made national news as the owners demanded the return of their property under the Fugitive Slave Law. The "Kentucky Raid" was stopped by local people near the village of Vandalia by "jailing" all parties and waiting for the judge. Know the "judge" was sympathetic to escaped slaves, villagers sent the runaways across the border into Canada instead of confining them to jail.

6. Michigan Ratifies the 19th Amendment, June 10, 1919

Michigan women were petitioning for the right to vote even before the Civil War and in the 1870s reformers founded the Michigan State Woman Suffrage Association (MSWSA) to campaign for the vote. Like many other states, Michigan women won some limited voting rights in school board elections and education matters. The MSWSA and Michigan Equal Suffrage Association campaigned for state suffrage for the next few decades until in 1912 Governor Chase Osborne actively called on the state legislature to consider granting women the vote. In 1918 Michigan women were granted the vote and in 1919 Michigan was the third state to ratify the 19th Amendment.

7. Saginaw Valley Lumber Strike of 1885 Historical Marker

Dedicated in 1987, this historical marker shares the story of labor activism leading to one of the most significant strikes in this region during the late 19th century. In 1885, Bay City and the Saginaw Valley was home to dozens of sawmills and was widely regarded as "the lumber capital of the world." Renowned historians David Roediger and Phillip Foner declared the Saginaw Valley Strike, along with an 1881 strike in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as the "most spectacular" of the many strikes by lumber workers during the late 19th century. The Great Strike of the Saginaw Valley was ultimately a failed effort to enforce a 10-hour workday that would later come into effect. The conflict cost thousands of workers hundreds of thousands of dollars in wages over a two-month period.

This Tour is a Thematic Tour or Heritage Trail.

Michigan Sites of Revolution

Created by America250MI on June 14th 2023, 3:24:47 pm.

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Description

Michigan’s people have struggled for liberty and freedom before, during, and after the revolution. This county’s founding document did not account for those enslaved individuals in the territory or the attempted removal and separation of indigenous people from their land. The American Revolution separated American government from Great Britain, but it created a legacy of division among the region’s populations and an ongoing discussion of the compromises made and injustices endured, to form a more perfect union and establish justice. Experience a Revolutionary War battle, discover some of our state's and nation's greatest natural wonders or relive some of sports' greatest moments. From U.S. presidents to leaders of the suffrage movement to innovators in industry, technology, and art, it all happened in Michigan. Historical research and entries created by college students across Michigan through a co-creation project.

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