Selma’s Story Still Speaks: The Jackson Home Opens at The Henry Ford

By Kimberly Smitherman, CEO of Foot Soldiers Park

On Friday, June 12, 2026, I had the honor of traveling to Dearborn, Michigan, alongside James Sutton, Foot Soldiers Park’s Director of Operations, and Jasmyn Bowie, Tour Coordinator, to attend the opening of the Dr. Sullivan and Mrs. Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson Home at The Henry Ford museum’s Greenfield Village.

The ceremony was a reminder that Selma’s story continues to move, teach, and challenge the nation.

The Jackson Home, originally located in Selma, Alabama, served as a central location in American history. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders gathered, planned, rested, and strategized there regularly during the Selma Voting Rights Movement of 1965.

Dr. Sullivan Jackson and Mrs. Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson were close friends of Dr. King and graciously opened their doors to him and other freedom fighters, including Nobel Peace Prize winners, international dignitaries, and members of Congress to offer refuge, safety, and support during a time when doing so came with real risk. Their home became part of the infrastructure of the movement, a place where courage was practiced, strategy was shaped, and the fight for voting rights was carried forward. In fact, Dr. King and others watched President Lyndon B. Johnson’s nationally televised address introducing the Voting Rights Act of 1965 from their residence. 

While we were in Dearborn, surrounded by people who came to witness the opening of this historic home, we were reminded that Selma’s civil rights legacy belongs to the nation. It travels through memory, storytelling, preservation, and the people committed to carrying it forward.

Selma’s presence was felt throughout the day with our attendance and that of our Mayor Johnny “Skip” Moss. The mayor’s presence underscored the importance of local leadership standing alongside national preservation efforts to ensure that Selma is remembered with dignity, accuracy, and care.

This opening was deeply meaningful to the team, affirming a central tenet of Foot Soldiers Park: the Civil Rights Movement was powered by everyday people like you and me who stepped up to shelter, feed, pray, and keep watch.

Throughout the day, we thought about the foot soldiers whose names, both known and unknown, made extraordinary sacrifices so that justice could move forward. We thought about the young people who will one day walk through the Jackson Home and understand that history was made by people who chose courage over comfort.

Foot Soldiers Park is dedicated to honoring the past while building power for the future. We know that preservation is not simply about saving buildings. It is about protecting memory, telling the truth, and ensuring that the next generation understands what was sacrificed for the rights we continue to defend today.

We are grateful to have witnessed this important milestone, and we remain deeply grateful for the legacy of Dr. Sullivan Jackson, Mrs. Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson, their daughter Jawana Jackson, and all those whose vision and persistence helped preserve this sacred piece of Selma’s history.

We also extend our sincere gratitude to The Henry Ford President and CEO, Patricia Mooradian, and the entire team whose care, leadership, and commitment helped bring the Jackson Home into this new chapter. 

History lives wherever people are brave enough to carry it forward.