• origins.htm
• violence.htm
• antiblack.htm
• battle.htm
• segregation.htm
• beyond.htm
• timeline.htm
• witness.htm

Current News

licorice Drop

Were African American children and other children of color actually used as alligator bait? Find out the answer in the May Question of the Month.

Learn More»

Viola Liuzzo

Viola Liuzzo, a woman who possessed strong convictions and a demonstrated willingness to take action for causes she believed in, Liuzzo was convinced that she had to actually join the fight in Selma. Thus, Liuzzo headed south on a journey that would ultimately end in tragedy and controversy.

Learn More» about the story of Viola Liuzzo

Aunt Jemima

A short video showing the marketing of Aunt Jemima and how this campaign has impacted many today. Many consider Aunt Jemima as a kind, happy motherly figure who made great pancakes...

Watch» Aunt Jemima "I'se in town, Honey!"

Museum Information

The new Jim Crow Museum is now open and is FREE to the public. The Museum features six exhibit areas -- Who and What is Jim Crow, Jim Crow Violence, Jim Crow and Anti-Black Imagery, Battling Jim Crow Imagery, Attacking Jim Crow Segregation, and Beyond Jim Crow.

The Museum also offers a comprehensive timeline of the African American experience in the United States. The timeline is divided into six sections: Africa Before Slavery, Slavery in America, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, Civil Rights and Post Civil Rights.

The Jim Crow Museum at Ferris State University strives to become a leader in social activism and in the discussion of race and race relations. This new facility will provide increased opportunities for education and research. Please join us as we embark on this mission.

Regular hours are Monday thru Friday 12-5 p.m. or group tours by appointment. To schedule a tour, please contact the museum at (231) 591-5873 or at jimcrowmuseum@ferris.edu. Please refer to the calendar of events for availability.

The mission of the Jim Crow Museum is to use objects of intolerance to teach tolerance and promote social justice.

Museum Policy Update

For Children Visitors to the Jim Crow Museum Policy, please see Contact page.



Visitors to the Jim Crow Museum are prohibited from photographing or video recording any portions of the Museum.

Exceptions to this policy can be made at the sole discretion of Museum staff and might include special events, scholars who have made arrangements in advance of their visits, and credentialed members of the press.

Objectives of the Jim Crow Museum

The Museum's mission is achieved through the following objectives:

• Collect, exhibit and preserve objects and collections related to racial segregation, anti-black caricatures, civil rights, and African American achievement.
• Promote the scholarly examination of historical and contemporary expressions of racism.
• Serve as a teaching resource for Ferris State University courses which deal, directly or indirectly, with the issues of race and ethnicity.
• Serve as an educational resource for scholars and teachers at the state, national and international levels.
• Promote racial understanding and healing.
• Serve as a resource for civil rights and human rights organizations.