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On Saginaw’s central East Side, the historic 1857 home that Kevin Jones purchased in January has caused him to ask, more than once, what he got himself into.
No, he hasn’t questioned the goal, which is to create a black history museum in his hometown, and he never imagined it would be easy.
But now that he’s emptied his personal finances to take ownership of a 166-year-old estate at 1243 South Jefferson, he sees the physical challenge each day when he awakens in a second-floor cubby hole he has transformed into a temporary living space.
As a result, he will engage the community in some preliminary look-sees this spring and summer, but the grand opening target is Juneteenth (June 19) 2024. And that’s still optimistic, given what lies ahead.
Will there one day be AMusBE, his original acronym for “A Museum of the Black Experience,” in this 5,000-square-foot mini-mansion?
When he is in a mood mode of realism, Jones describes the journey as “uphill” and views the prospects of a new Saginaw destination point as 50-50 at best.
When he is absorbed by the dream, with early retirement savings and income, he acts on gut feelings and purchases an aging mini-mansion with no assurance of future major funding. His only guarantee at this point is a small group of committed supporters, many of them arts-oriented. Even during the pandemic, he was able to enlist a display at the Saginaw Art Museum, and he offered a recent update presentation to Saginaw NAACP leaders.
While the old home may be far larger than the norm, the rooms inside are smallish and some seem to lack clear purposes. City Hall records indicate five bedrooms but Kevin has counted seven. One of his more enjoyable tasks is deciding what should go where, even re-deciding while there still is plenty of time.
He sees potential everywhere, from converting closets to life-size displays to keeping the large stones in front for outdoor seating. His current living space could be converted for an artist-in-residence, while college and high school students could serve as tour guides for class credits.
The place isn’t in bad shape, with its previous adopted purpose as an adult foster care group home. And the neighborhood is not rundown, in the middle of well-kept Cathedral District homes between Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital and the Holland/Remington one-ways.
Jones is pursuing a combination of corporate support and grant funds. Top potential sources could tap African-American legacy along with the history of the property itself. Jones’ volunteer wish list includes assistance with writing proposals, along with help with buildings and grounds maintenance and upgrades.
Kevin also seeks aid with cataloging and photographing more than 7,000 artifacts that he has collected through the years. News of his project has led to daily calls with donation offers, many local but a good number from across the nation.
He suggests that residents check basements and attics for anything from old salt-and-pepper shakers and nicknacks, to event posters and advertisements to family photographs and keepsakes. Some of these may portray black people with negative, stereotyped images, while others like dolls in Easter suits and dresses are positive.
Jones seeks both, history being history. Upon purchasing the property, in one example, he discovered 37 blankets embellished with Confederate flags, stored under a stairway. These do not necessarily represent a bigoted history in the home, he says, because a previous owner was a historian with interest in the Civil War era. In an upstairs bedroom, he found a pile of American stars and stripes.
Clearcut records and identities are not required. In fact, when full details are lacking, museum patrons are given opportunities to speculate, based on history they have learned during their visits.
Supporters, volunteers and donors may contact Kevin Jones at kevtrijo@gmail.com or via the AMuseBe website.
