There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School
As part of Ann Arbor 200, the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio (7CS) have produced a documentary film about the closing of Ann Arbor's Jones School. In 1965, the Board of Education closed the majority-Black school. Ann Arbor joined a nationwide trend of school desegregation during the Civil Rights Era. But for these young students, the loss of a neighborhood school foreshadowed changes to their close-knit community. Gentrification came to Ann Arbor on the heels of desegregation.
In the making of this film, 7CS filmmakers and AADL archivists interviewed over thirty former Jones students and Black community leaders. They shared memories of Jones School and "The Old Neighborhood"—the areas now known as Kerrytown and Water Hill. A filmed walking tour, studio interviews, and historical photos form the core of the film. Run time is approximately 40 minutes.
The AADL Archives has many additional materials to explore relating to these topics, including a history of Jones School and dozens of Ann Arbor News articles that appear in the film:
AACHM Oral History: Carl James Johnson
Carl James Johnson was born in 1945 in Willow Run, Michigan. His family moved to Ann Arbor when he was seven years old, after his mother suffered a stroke. He attended Jones School and Tappan Junior High and participated in the French Dukes drill team in the early 1960s. Johnson served in Vietnam in the Navy Seabees unit, where his drill experience spared him from direct action. For most of his career he worked as a caterer at the University of Michigan and Domino Farms. He celebrates his Black and Native American heritage by volunteering on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Playground Program Will End Tomorrow
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Ice Skating at Summit Park, January 1979 Photographer: Larry E. Wright
Year:
1979
Ann Arbor News, January 6, 1979
Caption:
Ice Follies: Somebody had to be the first to brave the brisk frigid air Friday on solidly frozen prime ice. Monique Fields, Blaise Kemble and Kenyatta Fields (left to right) hook up for some ice follies at the Summit Ice Rink.
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Skaters Enjoy Summit Ice Rink, January 1979 Photographer: Larry E. Wright
Year:
1979
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City Invests in Demolition of Lansky's Junk Yard, August 1976 Photographer: Larry E. Wright
Year:
1976
Ann Arbor News, August 10, 1976
Caption:
Eyesore To Park: A Summit Street eyesore is washed away under a wrecker's ball (above) and a frontend loader (left). The cleansed area, formerly housed a junkyard. But by this time next year, it will be part of a Summit Street park. The city had owned the land since last year and the work is expected to end complaints about the trashy appearance of the lot. The park plans include closing a portion of Summit, construction of an "unstructured" outdoor theater, renovation of an existing shelter, an open game field, an asphalt track for running, roller skating or walking, a small spray fountain, 1 1/2 basketball courts, a play area with timber structures and a picnic area. Cost of the project is estimated at about $250,000, with the state paying it all. Construction of the park is expected to begin in September, with most of the work being finished this fall.
View of East Summit Street Before Park Expansion, August 1976 Photographer: Larry E. Wright
Year:
1976
View of Summit Park From Former Site of Lansky's Junk Yard, August 1976 Photographer: Larry E. Wright
Year:
1976
Demolition of Lansky's Junk Yard on East Summit Street, August 1976 Photographer: Larry E. Wright
Year:
1976
Ann Arbor News, August 10, 1976
Caption:
Eyesore To Park: A Summit Street eyesore is washed away under a wrecker's ball (above) and a frontend loader (left). The cleansed area, formerly housed a junkyard. But by this time next year, it will be part of a Summit Street park. The city had owned the land since last year and the work is expected to end complaints about the trashy appearance of the lot. The park plans include closing a portion of Summit, construction of an "unstructured" outdoor theater, renovation of an existing shelter, an open game field, an asphalt track for running, roller skating or walking, a small spray fountain, 1 1/2 basketball courts, a play area with timber structures and a picnic area. Cost of the project is estimated at about $250,000, with the state paying it all. Construction of the park is expected to begin in September, with most of the work being finished this fall.
Junkyard Move Is Ready
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