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By Chrystal Blair,
As the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, the Holland Museum and Zeeland Historical Society are partnering on an exhibit exploring the people and cultures who helped shape their West Michigan communities.
The “We the People” exhibit features artifacts, personal stories and interactive displays highlighting Indigenous communities, Dutch settlers and more recent immigrant groups.
Members of Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP) are among the Latino voices featured in a new Michigan exhibit exploring identity and belonging. They reflect on preserving their cultural heritage, strengthening their communities and creating opportunities for future generations while embracing life in the United States.
WATCH: Their interview in full is available on the Zeeland Historical society YouTube Page
Michelle Stempien, executive director of the Holland Museum, said the oral history component is highlighted at both museums.
“We are capturing people’s voices today in this moment of the 250th anniversary about what it means to them to be an American, making sure to include people that have different heritages and different backgrounds,” Stempien explained.
The exhibit runs through Jan. 11, 2027, at both the Holland Museum and the Zeeland Historical Society. Museum leaders are encouraging visitors to experience both locations to gain a fuller understanding of the region’s diverse cultural history.
Through artifacts and personal stories, the exhibit also explores how the meaning of “We the People” has evolved over time. Stempien pointed out the exhibit asks visitors to reflect on their own identities.
“Within that historic storytelling, we’re asking the question, what does it mean to you to be an American?” she added.
Audrey Rojo, curator and interim director of the Zeeland Historical Society, said some visitors have connected their own immigration stories to those of Dutch settlers featured in the exhibit, finding similarities in experiences that span generations and cultures.
“That to me is just something important, that human connection, finding that human connection and realizing that maybe we’re not all so different,” Rojo observed.
Publisher’s Notes: Michigan exhibit explores immigration and American identity was first published on Public News Service and was republished with permission.
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