Michigan’s first Black state trooper: ‘I just wanted to be an officer’
Former officer says last year’s protests were a step in the right direction
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GRAND LEDGE, Mich. – When it comes down to legacy, retired officer Jack Hall has left a footprint in Michigan history.
Hall was the first African American Michigan State Trooper. He’s retired now, but not too much has changed, at least from his perspective.
“I was really surprised when I found out I was going to be the first. It really didn’t mean much. I just wanted to be an officer,” Hall said.
‘You are somebody’: Cass Tech Principal Lisa Phillips works to empower students
Lisa Phillips has spent 35 years as an educator
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DETROIT – Lisa Phillips is the principal of Cass Technical High School in Detroit.
Phillips has spent 35 years as an educator. She has worked with students from all walks of life.
“I don’t live and wear titles or positions. I’m just Lisa Phillips. A person who likes to help,” Phillips said.
Phillips is the first Black woman to be awarded Principal of the Year in Michigan. She credits her decades of success to her role model, her mother, Naomi Bates.
‘We just want equity and equality and appreciation’: The history behind Black History Month
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DETROIT – February is Black History Month a time dedicated to celebrating the achievements of African Americans in U.S. history.
“Some people say to me, ‘Well, why Black History Month?’ Well, we just want equity and equality and appreciation,” Detroit historian Ken Coleman said. ”Black folk have played a significant role in what we call today, the United States of America.”
Daniel Hirschman is a sociology professor at Brown University.
“There’s no White history month because most white history is taught, or a version of white history so you see white people in statues, and books and textbooks,” Hirschman said.