Website aimed at preserving Detroit’s civil rights history
DETROIT (AP) — An activist and a researcher are launching a website aimed at preserving the stories of Detroit’s civil rights movement.
The online historical and educational resource is called Rise Up Detroit. It represents the efforts of Junius Williams, founder of Rise Up North, and Peter Blackmer, a project researcher and research fellow at Wayne State University’s Detroit Equity Action Lab.
Rise Up Detroit is scheduled to officially launch with a kickoff event May 14 at Wayne State’s David Adamany Undergraduate Library. The program is expected to include a discussion with civil rights veterans and experts.
The university says in a release Rise Up North was created to share “black freedom struggles” in the major urban centers of the northern U.S. The Detroit effort follows one in Newark, New Jersey, where the project began.
New lawsuit targets faith-based policy at Michigan resort
PETOSKEY, Mich. (AP) — A resort community in northern Michigan is being sued again over membership policies that are related to religion.
Bay View Association last year eliminated a rule that requires cottage owners to be of “Christian persuasion.” But a lawsuit filed last week in federal court targets a new policy, which says applicants must “respect the principles of the United Methodist Church.”
The rule also says membership applicants must support “Christian values and traditions” of the Bay View Association. The lawsuit says the policy, which was approved by members, violates federal law because Christian beliefs are put above others.
Bay View is a seasonal community along Little Traverse Bay, near Petoskey, that was founded in 1875. The lawsuit says Bay View must follow the U.S. Constitution because it has some government powers under state law.
An email seeking comment was sent to Bay View’s attorney.
Michigan adoption agency flips LGBT policy after settlement
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A major faith-based foster care and adoption contractor for the state of Michigan is reversing its policy and will place children with same-sex couples to comply with a legal settlement.
Bethany Christian Services and the state confirmed the change Monday.
Bethany Christian Services says while it is “disappointed” with how the settlement has been implemented, it will nonetheless reverse its policy so it continues foster care and adoption work for the state.
As of February, Bethany Christian Services was responsible for 1,159 of 13,489, or more than 8%, of cases of children under state supervision.
Democratic Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s recent settlement prevents faith-based agencies from refusing to put children in LGBT homes for religious reasons. St. Vincent Catholic Charities sued last week to challenge the deal.
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