Creating a design experience that celebrates and honors the Black culture and history in Ypsilanti, Michigan

Inspired by the incomparable work of authors James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, Marlon Riggs, Audre Lorde, Joseph Beam and other progressive thinkers and literary figures, Son of Baldwin is the literary, sociopolitical, popcultural blog exploring, critically, issues that matter to Blaqueer people and their accomplices.

Elevating the Stories of Ypsilanti’s Black ancestors and their community

Members of Eastern Michigan University’s Engage@EMU community outreach program wanted to help give voice to the underreported stories and history of Ypsilanti’s Black community through a series of six landmark signs, which are currently located at their respective locations in Ypsilanti, Michigan. This was a group effort that consisted of local historians and numerous community supporters.

Exploration

The history of Ypsilanti’s Black community was often left underrepresented, leaving gaps in stories. With the logo, I wanted to explore that concept through bold lines and fonts. I also translated this idea to an icon set.