A piece of civil rights history from Selma, Alabama has found a new home in Dearborn’s Greenfield Village.

The Jackson House was owned by Dr. Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson, who opened their doors to those fighting for civil rights — including Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Related: MLK Jr. biographies reveal an intimate look into life of the civil rights icon

Many leaders worked, strategized and collaborated inside the Jackson House during the 1960s.

Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP, talked about the significance of the house during a site dedication ceremony at Greenfield Village last week.

“It’s a house where the freedom movement was discussed and strategized with Dr. King and many of his allies,” Anthony said. “They watched an observed Lyndon Banks Johnson sign into law the Voting Rights Act [of 1965]. It’s a place where Ralph Bunche and Dr. King, two Nobel Laureates…talked about the struggle for freedom.”

Officials say the Jackson House is expected to open to the public in 2026.

U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar defeated Detroit City Council member Mary Waters in the Democratic primary for the Detroit area’s 13th Congressional District.

Waters, who had been endorsed by Mayor Mike Duggan, argued during her campaign that the district should have a Black representative as it did for decades.

“I have never ever seen so many people who were unhappy with representation,” said Waters. “Nobody, not one person said to me, not then or now that they were satisfied with the representation that they were receiving.”

Throughout the campaign, Duggan has also said that Thanedar has not done enough for the district. But Thanedar says his team has closed more than 1,800 constituent cases successfully.

“People don’t care whether their problem is a federal problem or a state problem or a local problem,” said Thanedar. “They want it to be solved. And my team is very focused on it.”

Thanedar’s campaign held a major cash advantage over Waters, running several campaign ads on television, and his win likely leaves Detroit — a city that is nearly 80% Black — without Black representation in Congress for a second consecutive term.

But Thanedar, who was born in India, says when he speaks to residents, their main concern is not his ethnicity…but how he can help his constituents.

“It’s not about who I am, my race, my skin color. For them it is someone that will help them,” he said. “Whether to close the economic gap, whether to create those skill sets so they can get a good paying job, whether someone who can lower health care costs.”

However, Waters maintains that constituents have not been happy with the Congressman’s performance in office.

“Had you been doing your job the community would be able to connect with you, they would know who you are,” she said. “Had you been providing constituent services like you were supposed to there would be no need to spend that kind of money against a candidate who barely raised $150,000.” 

Thanedar was first elected to Congress in 2022. He’ll face Republican Martell Bivings —who ran uncontested — in November’s general election.

Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.