The year was 1889. A young man in Detroit took a seat inside Guy’s European Hotel. It wasn’t the first time he had done so, and it wouldn’t be the last. But on this particular day, something was different. Because when William Webb Ferguson placed his order, he wasn’t just asking for a meal. He was making a statement.
The staff told him he wouldn’t be served. Not unless he moved, not unless he took his seat in the section reserved for people like him. But Ferguson refused. History is filled with men and women who have stood their ground, who have defied injustice by simply just refusing to move. But what makes Ferguson’s story remarkable is what happened next.
He sued. Yes, in 1889, a black man in Michigan took his case all the way to the Michigan Supreme Court in a decision that would echo throughout the halls of history. The court ruled in his favor that separation by race in public accommodations was illegal. It was the first case of its kind in Michigan’s history.
But that was just the beginning. Three years later in 1892, Ferguson wasn’t just known for his victory in the courtroom. He was known for his victory on the ballot: He became the first black legislator ever elected to the Michigan House of Representatives. Another first and another chapter in an already historic life.
And so you see, the state of Michigan remembers William Ferguson. His portrait hangs inside the Capitol in Lansing. His story is told there during Black History Month. His name etched into the fabric of history as a man who fought for justice and won. But what you may not have heard about Mr. Ferguson, what so many forget to mention is that William Webb Ferguson was a Republican.
Yes, one of those, a member of the party that freed the slaves. The party that fought for civil rights long before Democrats ever claimed that mantle. The party that was founded right here in Michigan, “under the oaks” in Jackson in July 1854.
A quiet meeting on a quiet street corner in a quiet town, and yet, what happened there set the stage for the Civil War, the abolition of slavery, and the fight for equality even for Mr. Ferguson. But as Democrats in the media, and I repeat myself, stand proudly during Black History Month, loudly celebrating some achievements, why do they stay so quiet about this one?
Why don’t they share? Why don’t they declare? Maybe their goal isn’t unity after all. Now you know the truth about what happened right here in Michigan.
Justin Barclay is host of West Michigan Live with JustinBarclay on WOOD Radio. Follow him on X @MrJustinBarclay.
