Former Detroit Teacher Leads Tours To Highlight Detroit's Hidden Black History

Southfield (CW50) - When studying history in school, you most likely learned about Harriett Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King. All of these historical figures who were instrumental in the eras of slavery and civil rights in our country. But did you ever learn about what was happening right here in Detroit during those chapters in history?

Jamon Jordan, a former social studies teacher in Detroit, noticed a discrepancy within his class's text books in his 20 years of teaching. Nowhere in the curriculum was anything about the Black history of Detroit. Wanting his students to learn about the history that happened in their own backyards led Jamon to teach outside the textbook, so his students could become aware of the city's impact on Black history, not just what was happening in the south.

One period in history that he taught his students was the use of the Underground Railroad in the city of Detroit to help move escaped slaves on the path to freedom in Canada. He was surprised to learn that his students didn't know such an important part of history that happened right here in the city.

After retiring from teaching, Jamon created the Black Scroll Network History and Tours in Detroit. As an educator and historian, Jamon found himself wanting to share his knowledge of Detroit's hidden Black history with the residents and visitors of Detroit. In his On the Pathway to Freedom tour, he takes visitors to sites in Detroit such as the Second Baptist Church, which served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Other parts of his tour include historic Black landmarks such as Dunbar Hospital, Dr. Sweet's Home, and Charles Wright Museum.

Jamon Jordan joins Lisa Germani on Community Connect to discuss these important periods in Detroit's history.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Scroll Network Tours are not physically running, but you can still signup for a virtual tour at BlackScrollNetwork.weebly.com