WMUK News

What Portage's Black history exhibit means to two councilmembers

WMUK | By Leona Larson

Published February 14, 2024 at 6:01 PM EST

Jihan Ain Young is pointing with her right hand to a detail on an informational map on the wall. The map is of the transatlantic slave trade. She is wearing a knit dress in a houndstooth pattern in brown, grey and white with silver buttons with her name tag pinned on the right side with a gold pin from the University of Michigan. She wears glasses, pearl earrings and a pearl bracelet on her left arm, that rests on her hip. She also has a gold chain around her neck. — Portage City Councilmember Jihan Ain Young examining one of the exhibit panels at Portage City Hall on February 7.

“Ten Little-Known Facts," an exhibit at Portage City Hall, highlights historical Black achievements.

Walk into the Portage City Hall atrium and you’ll find exhibit panels highlighting Black American history. The exhibit, “Ten Little Known Facts” is part of the city’s recognition of Black History Month.

Portage City Councilmember Jihan Ain Young said the placement of the exhibit in city hall is intentional.

“As citizens come in to meet with any of the administration here in the city of Portage to maybe pay their bills, we want them to understand the impact that African Americans have had in the day-to-day lives of the United States and what those contributions are,” Young said.

“Ten Little Known Facts” focuses on the achievements of well-known people like Martin Luther King, Jr. But it also looks at people you might not be as familiar with, like lawman Bass Reeves and aviator Bessie Coleman. Some historians believe Reeves was the inspiration for the “Lone Ranger” legend. And Coleman was the first African-American woman earn her pilot’s license.

Like Coleman, Young achieved her own first. In 2023, she became the first woman of color to be elected to the Portage City Council. She’s also a descendent of an escaped slave who made his way north to Battle Creek. When he died at the age of 94 in December 1940, Henry Clay Milner's story was featured in the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Exhibit panels in the atrium of Portage City Hall. One on the left is about Martin Luther King, on the right is about Bessie Coleman the first African-American woman with a pilot license. In the middle background there is another panel about the relationship between Jewish schools and HBCs (Historically Black Colleges). More exhibit panels can be seen on the wall to the left. A voting booth can also be seen in the background. — "Ten Little Known Facts" about Black American History will be on exhibit at Portage City Hall until March 29.

“I'm getting emotional as I talk about that. But, you know, we talk about being our ancestors' wildest dreams,” Young said.

Young said the exhibit panel of the Transatlantic slave trade map is significant to her because of her ancestor.

“I know he's looking down, you know, from heaven,” Young said. “But if he could only see now, you know, that his great, great, great, great, great granddaughter, you know, made history.”

Councilmember Victor Ledbetter said Black History Month was started by Dr. Carter Woodson as “Negro History Week” 98-years ago.

“The reason that he chose February, a lot of people thought it was just because it was the shortest month of the year. That's what I thought originally,” Ledbetter said.

“But as you learn and read, you found out he started in February because Abraham Lincoln's birthday is in February as well as Frederick Douglass'. These are two people that he admired.”

Ledbetter said Woodson envisioned Black History Month extending past February. So, the Portage City Councilmember said he is pleased the exhibit runs through March 29.