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AADL Talks To: Gregory Sipp, Retired Ann Arbor Public School Teacher and Mosaic Artist
Gregory Sipp is a retired Ann Arbor Public School teacher with a 35-year career teaching at both the elementary and middle school levels, first at Bryant Elementary, then Allen Elementary, and finally Tappan Junior High (now Tappan Middle School). In his 50s, Greg discovered a passion for mosaic art and dedicated himself to studying the medium and creating portraits, which he still does today. In this episode, Greg chronicles his early years as a teacher in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, highlighting encounters with mentors and colleagues, and the impact of school desegregation. He also takes us on his journey as an artist, discussing several of his mosaic works, the influence of jazz music on his creative process, and a memorable encounter with trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard.
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Room for Change: Ann Arbor's Fair Housing Protests in the 1960s
"In the early 1960s, Ann Arbor neighborhoods were still mostly segregated. Racially restrictive housing covenants, realtors, banks, and landlords quietly worked to keep African Americans confined to only certain parts of the city. Hundreds of individuals and groups, including the NAACP, CORE, churches, and student groups began picketing, marching, and organizing sit-ins in protest. This film presents some of their stories." - Filmmaker Jennifer Howard
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There Went The Neighborhood - Audio Interview: Harold Simons
Harold Simons attended Jones School in the 1950s, and he remembers his sixth grade teacher Harry Mial as an important role model. He went on to teach physical education and coach varsity basketball and golf at Huron High School from 1980 to 2007.
More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.
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There Went The Neighborhood - Audio Interview: Patricia Manley
Patricia Manley attended Jones School in the 1950s, and she recalls her teacher Harry Mial as an important role model. In high school, she was discouraged from applying to college or joining the cheerleading squad, but she persevered and became a teacher and coach at Huron High School.
More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.
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There Went The Neighborhood - Studio Interview: Jennifer (Mitchell) Hampton
Jennifer (Mitchell) Hampton attended Jones School in kindergarten, fifth, and sixth grades, and she remembers being one of very few white students in the school. She shares memories of her classmates and teachers and her perspective on racial attitudes in Ann Arbor in the 1950s and 60s.
This interview was filmed during the making of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School, produced by the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio. More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.
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There Went The Neighborhood - Studio Interview: Alma Wheeler Smith
Alma Wheeler Smith grew up in post-WWII Ann Arbor with two activist parents, Albert and Emma Wheeler. She recalls participating in picketing and demonstrations against segregation and redlining in Ann Arbor. She shares her perspective on her parents’ involvement in the decision to close Jones School.
This interview was filmed during the making of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School, produced by the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio. More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.
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There Went The Neighborhood - Studio Interview: Joetta Mial
Joetta Mial moved to Ann Arbor in the 1950s with her husband Harry Mial, who was the first Black teacher at Jones school from 1954 to 1957. Dr. Mial also pursued a career in teaching and became principal of Huron High School. She recalls conversations that were happening in the community about school desegregation.
This interview was filmed during the making of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School, produced by the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio. More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.
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There Went The Neighborhood - Studio Interview: Russell Calvert
Russell Calvert attended Jones School from kindergarten through sixth grade in the post-WWII era. He recalls the strong influence of Black business owners like his father, Burgess Calvert, and Charlie Baker. He tells the story of “The Old Neighborhood” before it became known as Kerrytown.
This interview was filmed during the making of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School, produced by the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio. More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.
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There Went The Neighborhood - State Theatre Interview: Don Simons
Don Simons was interviewed after a preliminary screening of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School at the State Theatre on April 16, 2023. He recounts his experiences as a Black athlete in Ann Arbor.
More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.
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There Went The Neighborhood - State Theatre Interview: Diana McKnight-Morton
Diana McKnight-Morton was interviewed after a preliminary screening of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School at the State Theatre on April 16, 2023. She describes her father’s business, DeLong’s Bar-B-Q, which operated across from the farmers’ market.
More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.