“We can develop sustainable solutions that protect the culture and history of Black, Latin and Indigenous people, while at the same time enhancing the physical, social and economic environment.”
Michelle S. Johnson draws on the rich stories of the past to inform and lead in the present—fueling efforts for restorative justice in Michigan communities.
With a PhD in American culture from the University of Michigan, Michelle has taught and worked for years to communicate the rich history and cultural contributions of marginalized people, and to translate that into concrete actions that lift up communities.
She founded the Institute for Public Scholarship which builds on 30 years of conducting oral histories, providing historical research and developing programming related to racial and cultural healing. She also serves as co-director of the Kalamazoo Cultural Landscape Project and CEO of the Riverview Wellness Park, spearheading a group of museum leaders, researchers and residents analyzing the history of business and housing in the area. Previously, she was a historian with the State of Michigan, leading state-wide documentation of Black communities in the state from 1815-1915, including widespread coordination with educational institutions, museums, libraries and arts and cultural organizations.
In addition to leading myriad oral testimony projects around the country, she has taught at Western Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University, Saginaw Valley State University and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Organization
Institute of Public Scholarship, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Area of Focus
Restorative justice
Fellowship Project
Advance efforts to establish the Cultural Land Trust to elevate the history and protect the infrastructure of Black and Brown communities in Kalamazoo.