Changing the Narrative
A cape? An emblem on a chest? A super-human ability? What makes someone a superhero?
The truth is, standing up for what is right can make anyone a superhero, as can being the first to achieve something in the face of biased norms. As it turns out, the history of Ypsilanti includes very many superheroes. Below are vignettes of only a fraction of the individuals who have positively influenced so many, and successfully redrawn expectations. Those interested in learning more are strongly encouraged to research independently.
Mary Herndon opposed the urban renewal of the 1960s on Ypsilanti’s Southside, and worked to house those who were displaced in its aftermath. She went on to serve on the Ypsilanti Housing Commission.
Melvin Bass was the first Black Chief Building Inspector and Code Enforcement Director for the City of Ypsilanti. While this sounds ordinary, he lived through a time when the city wouldn’t service homes and businesses owned by Black residents. He retired from this position in 1990.
Benjamin Neely was instrumental in helping elect Ypsilanti's first Black city council members. At his core, he was an organizer that knew how to use the system to overturn unfair practices. He pushed for unionization to increase wages and create more fair workplace practices for Black workers.
Dr. R. Wiley Brownlee truly believed in the power of breaking norms. As the principal of Willow Run High School in the early 1970s, Brownlee was tasked with creating a safe learning environment for students amidst racial tensions and community unrest. In his first year, he was tarred and feathered at gunpoint by members of the ku klux klan, which only made him work harder to create inclusive opportunities for young people.
William Cazy (or Casey) lied about his age to join the 55th Massachusetts Infantry during the Civil War. Whereas most lied and said they were older so they could join the fight, William, who was 52, lied and said he was only 40.
Like the above who chose to rewrite expectations, Baltimore artist Kumasi J. Barnett literally paints over the images and text of existing comics to redirect narratives.
(Kumasi J. Barnett, Assistant Professor, Art, Penn State)
For this project, students had the same opportunity. Their goal was to utilize the provided acrylic markers to draw over the existing imagery and text to create new characters or text, or both.
The above shows the original version of each comic next to Kumasi J. Barnett's version (please note that colors may not be accurate). More of his work can be seen here: https://www.kumasijbarnett.com/
Each link below corresponds to the work created at that school for this project.
