Meeting Place of Civil Rights Leaders Has New Home at Henry Ford Museum

September 24, 2025

The Henry Ford Museum has relocated the historic Jackson Home from Selma, Alabama to Dearborn, Michigan as part of a $30 million project. This significant Civil Rights landmark served as Martin Luther King Jr. 's strategic planning hub for the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches and was where King watched President Johnson's speech that preceded the Voting Rights Act.

Who is affected

Visitors to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village
The Jackson family, particularly Joanna Jackson (daughter of the original homeowners)
Civil Rights history enthusiasts and researchers
The Selma, Alabama community where the house originated
Future generations learning about Civil Rights history

What action is being taken

The Henry Ford Museum is restoring the Jackson Home after relocating it from Selma to Dearborn
The Michigan Strategic Fund is providing a $9 million bond for the restoration and creation of a new 1,500-square-foot annex
Museum staff are developing programming for touring guests through the historic home
The house is being positioned near the Logan County Courthouse in Greenfield Village

Why it matters

The Jackson Home represents a crucial hub for Civil Rights Era planning and strategy
It's where King organized the historic 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches
The house witnessed key moments in voting rights history, including King watching President Johnson's speech that preceded the Voting Rights Act
As described by museum CEO Patricia Mooradian, "The house represents conflicts we continue to face and civil liberties we continue to fight for"
The preservation enables factual public history that can "inspire the next generation of thinkers and doers"

What's next

The Jackson Home is planned to open to the public in June 2026
A three-day block party is planned for the opening
The home will be furnished and a new 1,500-square-foot annex will be attached

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle