The Dr. Sullivan and Mrs. Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson Home opens this June in Greenfield Village. Stay tuned for information coming soon about our opening week celebration. 

In the meantime, we are proud to offer several other opportunities for community members in Michigan, Alabama and beyond to connect with the Jackson Home project.  

Through a series of free presentations at local libraries, The Henry Ford is spreading the word about the extraordinary measures to preserve the Jackson Home and about its vital role in the Civil Rights Movement. Join us to hear from our expert curators and learn about the Jackson Home’s future in Greenfield Village.

Upcoming Events

“Doing History: Preserving Family Stories” | March 11, 2026, 6-8 p.m. at Southfield Public Library
See how everyday Americans contribute to “doing history” by preserving, sharing and honoring their family legacies — just as the Jackson family did in Selma, Alabama. The Jacksons’ commitment to preserving their home and its stories is a powerful reminder that history lives not only in archives, but in living rooms, photo albums and oral traditions.

Click here to register

Past Events

• August 2025 at Detroit Public Library Wilder Branch
• August 2025 at Detroit Public Library Main Branch
• July 2025 at Detroit Public Library Parkman Branch

To document the Civil Rights Movement, The Henry Ford’s curators are collecting oral histories from people who helped shape its course. These oral histories help tell the story of the Jackson Home and the Selma Voting Rights Movement, as well as stories of social justice through the nationwide Civil Rights Movement.

The Henry Ford has gathered accounts from individuals including:

• Fred Gray, a prominent attorney for the movement who worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Claudette Colvin, Rosa Parks and others.
• Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr., who worked with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Selma during the early days of the movement.
• Dr. Valda Harris Montgomery, who was 14 years old when she marched in the last leg of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March and whose family assisted during the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
• Nelson Malden, Dr. King’s barber, who was also involved in the movement in Montgomery.
• Rev. Terry Shaw, who had to flee Selma in the middle of the night and made his new home in Detroit.
• Dorothy Dewberry Aldridge, who formed coalitions in Detroit to support the movement in Selma.

This June, The Henry Ford will welcome Kimberly McNair Brock as our Stand 44 Guest Chef in celebration of the Jackson Home opening.

A chef, educator and holistic health coach born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama — and deeply connected to the Civil Rights Movement — Chef Kim brings both lived history and culinary expertise to this residency. With more than 24 years in the culinary arts, her work blends Southern heritage and wellness, connecting past and present through food.

All month long, guests can experience her limited-time dishes at Stand 44 — a meaningful extension of the stories shared inside the Jackson Home.

Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | January 2026

The weekend of Martin Luther King. Jr. Day, nearly 20,000 guests gathered at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation throughout three days of special programs, performances and moments of reflection honoring Dr. King, culminating in a day of free museum admission on the national holiday.

Other highlights included the unveiling of the Jackson Home living room chair from which Dr. King watched President Lyndon B. Johnson’s televised “The American Promise” address, as well as a free author talk by Dr. Jeanne Theoharis, historian and New York Times bestselling author of King of the North: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life of Struggle Outside the South. Click here to watch a recording of the program.

Interfaith Leaders Luncheon | December 2025

The Henry Ford welcomed 45 interfaith leaders from the metro Detroit area to learn about the Jackson Home and explore opportunities to collaborate and engage with their communities. We continue to build on these valuable connections and foster meaningful relationships with these partners.

Site Dedication in Greenfield Village | August 2024

As The Henry Ford prepared to move the Jackson Home to its new site on Maple Lane in Greenfield Village, we invited community members to join us for a formal site dedication. Attendees heard remarks from Jawana Jackson, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony and several leaders from The Henry Ford.

The Jackson Home: From Selma to Detroit Panel | August 2024

This free panel discussion at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation contextualized the significance of the Jackson Home, its role in the Civil Rights Movement and its future in Greenfield Village. Esteemed panelists included: Jawana Jackson, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Jonathan Eig and Nelson George. Click here to watch a recording of the panel.

Stay up to date with the latest news from The Henry Ford by signing up to receive emails about upcoming events, new exhibitions and stories from our collections.

Interested in learning about The Henry Ford’s Community Outreach Program? Email communityoutreach@thehenryford.org.