Join the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio (7CS) for the premiere of a documentary film about the closing of Ann Arbor's Jones School. In 1965, the Board of Education closed the majority-Black school. Ann Arbor joined a nationwide trend of school desegregation during the Civil Rights Era. But for these young students, the loss of a neighborhood school foreshadowed changes to their close-knit community. Gentrification came to Ann Arbor on the heels of desegregation.
In the making of this film, 7CS filmmakers and AADL archivists interviewed over thirty former Jones students and Black community leaders. They shared memories of Jones School and "The Old Neighborhood"—the areas now known as Kerrytown and Water Hill. A filmed walking tour, studio interviews, and historical photos form the core of the film. Run time is approximately 40 minutes, followed by an Audience Talk Back.
This is part of Ann Arbor 200, AADL’s commemoration of the city’s bicentennial year. The documentary will be available to watch on-demand at annarbor200.org following its premiere.