In Honor of the 60th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, The Henry Ford Partners with The Detroit Public Library About The Importance of Voting Rights for All

Wednesday, August 6
Detroit Public Library Main Branch

DEARBORN, Mich., July 30, 2025 -- In recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Amber Mitchell, Curator of Black History at The Henry Ford, will present "The Jackson Home: Preservation and the Voting Rights Movement" at the Detroit Public Library – Main Branch, on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The event will be held in the Main Branch's auditorium, is free and open to the public. Those interested must register to attend. Tickets can be reserved through Eventbrite at: The Jackson House: Preservation and the Voting Rights Movement.

Mitchell, will share her ongoing research and curatorial work surrounding The Henry Ford's acquisition of the Dr. Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson Home. The home, located in Selma, Alabama, played a central role in the events leading up to the Selma to Montgomery March and ultimately, the passage of the Voting Rights Act. It was relocated from Selma to The Henry Ford in 2024 and will open to the public in Greenfield Village in 2026.

The presentation will explore how the Jackson family's hospitality and bravery helped fuel a national movement. By opening their home to leaders such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Jacksons helped galvanize support for voting rights and justice in America.

"The vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have," said the late Congressman John Lewis, who was among the activists attacked on "Bloody Sunday" in Selma. Mitchell's talk draws on this legacy to connect past struggles to present-day conversations on civil rights and historical preservation.

About Amber Mitchell
Amber N. Mitchell is a public historian and educator currently serving as the founding Curator of Black History at The Henry Ford. As a public historian, Amber strives to empower communities of color to tell our own stories in cultural institutions and beyond, while transforming nonprofit structures into accessible reflections of our communities. Before joining the Henry Ford staff, Amber worked at Whitney Plantation, the National WWII Museum, the American Association for State and Local History, among other spaces in the Midwest. She holds a Master's Degree in History from Indiana University and a Bachelor's in History from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.

About The Henry Ford
Located in Dearborn, Michigan, The Henry Ford, a globally recognized destination, fosters inspiration and learning from hands-on encounters with artifacts that represent the most comprehensive collection anywhere focusing on innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness in America. Its unique venues include Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school. Together with its online presence at thf.org and Invention Convention Worldwide, the growing affiliation of organizations fostering innovation, invention and entrepreneurship in K-12 students, The Henry Ford is a force for inspiring every individual to innovate, create and invent. For more information, visit thehenryford.org.

SOURCE The Henry Ford