Volunteers Needed to Move 30,000 Jim Crow Museum Artifacts
Ferris State University is calling for volunteers to help move more than 30,000 fragile artifacts to a new Jim Crow Museum opening this fall. The expanded facility will triple the museum's space, allowing it to better preserve history and teach future generations about racial injustice.
A museum dedicated to confronting America's painful racial history is getting a major upgrade, and volunteers are making it possible.
Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, is preparing to move its Jim Crow Museum to a brand new 26,000-square-foot facility. The museum houses the largest publicly accessible collection of Jim Crow era artifacts in the country, with more than 30,000 items documenting racial intolerance and segregation.
The move represents a massive undertaking. Many of the artifacts are extremely fragile, requiring careful handling and specialized packing.
That's where community volunteers come in. The university is asking anyone interested to sign up for two-hour shifts to help prepare and move items starting in April.
"Moving to this new building is going to be better and safer for the collection," said Cyndi Tiedt, the museum's collections manager. The expanded space will allow the museum to preserve more items and reach more people with its educational mission.
The museum closed to the public last November to begin preparations. Virtual tours remain available online for those who want to explore the collection from home.
Why This Inspires
This project shows how ordinary people can help preserve uncomfortable but essential parts of history. By volunteering their time, community members are ensuring that future generations can learn from the past and understand the long struggle for racial equality.
The Jim Crow Museum doesn't shy away from ugly truths. Instead, it uses objects like racist trinkets and stereotypical imagery to spark difficult conversations about systemic racism and its lasting effects.
The new facility's larger footprint means more artifacts can be properly stored and displayed. It also creates space for expanded educational programming, bringing these important lessons to more students, families, and visitors.
The first batch of artifacts is scheduled to move in April, with the full museum opening planned for fall 2026. Thousands of items still need to be catalogued, wrapped, and packed before then.
Anyone can help preserve this critical piece of American history by signing up through Ferris State's website.
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Based on reporting by Google: volunteers help
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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