Jeannette Holton wants to tell you about the real story of what created race-segregated poverty in her community and many others like it. Steeped in local history, she guides you on a journey through the tumultuous 1960s and 1970s in one small town in America. These as-yet untold stories explore the hidden causes of inequality and point to a future that can be different.
Motivations
Jeannette Holton is a child of the 60s and 70s in St. Joseph, Michigan, where all the adults and all her schoolmates were white. Across the river was Benton Harbor, larger, more bustling, and more diverse than its sleepy “twin.” In 1960 it was the industrial and retail powerhouse of the area, with a prosperous middle class just as in St. Joseph. But by 1970, the city was in decline, with high poverty and empty storefronts. This first majority-minority city in the region suffered while St. Joseph continued to thrive.
Jeannette’s research is motivated by her career dedicated to addressing poverty and its results. Through her career in social work she has seen firsthand how systems and structures can detour people from achieving their dreams. Her training and experience in public administration show her how decisions made by citizens and their governments decades ago continue to thwart the community’s good intentions. At the intersection between local history and social justice, she uncovers the forces that keep the community divided by race and class.
Writing
Jeannette is researching and writing a local history and analysis of the 1960s and 1970s in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, What Happened Here. Stories from her research appear on her blog, “The Hidden History of Here.” Her op-ed pieces on race and poverty have been published in local newspapers.
Beyond her writing, Jeannette actively participates in local and regional initiatives to address racial disparities, foster inclusivity, and promote social justice.