Press Release

The Henry Ford Presents From Selma to Detroit in Celebration of The Jackson House Moving to Greenfield Village

Public Welcome to Attend Site Dedication and Panel Discussion on Thursday, August 8

(Dearborn, Mich. — July 30, 2024) — The Henry Ford is commemorating The Jackson House in Greenfield Village on Thursday, August 8 with public events including a site dedication in the village at 9:30 am, and From Selma to Detroit, a panel discussion on the incredible significance of The Jackson House in American history taking place in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation at 7:00 pm. The public is invited to both programs but must register for the panel discussion at https://www.thehenryford.org/current-events/calendar/the-jackson-house-from-selma-to-detroit.

The Henry Ford acquired the Selma, Alabama home of Dr. Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson in 2023. The historic home, known as The Jackson House, served as a safe haven where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others worked, collaborated, strategized and planned the Selma-to-Montgomery marches of 1965. The marches served as protests against the systemic racist policies within the South and raised awareness of the struggles black voters faced. Today, nearly 60 years later, as the Jackson House takes its place in Greenfield Village, it will be preserved in perpetuity so that generations of people from all over the world will have an opportunity to learn and experience this important history. The house will open to the public in 2026.

"This house is a symbol for bringing liberty, justice and voting rights within the reach of all Americans," said Patricia Mooradian, President & CEO of The Henry Ford. "The Jackson House reminds us of the struggles people faced and the courage they had to do what was right."

Mooradian will be joined by Jawana Jackson, the only child of Dr. and Mrs. Jackson, for the site dedication Thursday morning. Distinguished author Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Pulitzer Prize-winner Jonathan Eig, and influential filmmaker Nelson George will join Ms. Jackson and moderator Jamal Simmons, Cable News Commentator and Former Senior White House Official, for the evening program — an inspiring discussion about The Jackson House, and its legacy in the fight for basic American freedoms.

More information on the events and panelists can be found here: The Jackson House: From Selma to Detroit.

About The Henry Ford
Located in Dearborn, Michigan, The Henry Ford, a globally recognized destination, fosters inspiration and learning from hands-on encounters with artifacts that represent the most comprehensive collection anywhere focusing on innovation, ingenuity and resourcefulness in America. Its unique venues include Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school. Together with its online presence at thf.org, its national television series The Henry Ford's Innovation Nation and Invention Convention Worldwide, the growing affiliation of organizations fostering innovation, invention and entrepreneurship in K-12 students, The Henry Ford inspires individuals to unlock their potential and help shape a better future.