ANN ARBOR, Mich. – An Ann Arbor apartment complex is being renamed to honor a fair housing activist and former University of Michigan professor.
Bunyan Bryant actually spent years trying to lease an apartment there, but it was denied for decades.
“He was looking for a place to live. He needed a place to live, and he thought he could just come here, do to the rental office, and be accepted,” said Bryant’s widow, Jean Carlsberg.
The widow of the late Bunyan Bryant recalls the time in the 1960s when her husband was told he couldn’t live in the Arbordale apartment complex in Ann Arbor.
“It was a sad thing,” Carlsberg said. “It made him angry as well as sad that this was still going on when he was doing everything right.”
Bryant was a professor at U of M and a community activist whose fight for fair housing became very well known in the community and around the country.
Fast-forward 60 years, and when the topic of renaming the complex came up, some had the perfect name in mind.
“To have this named for my husband to recognize the work that he did in this community and throughout the United States for justice, for economic justice, as well as environment justice, it’s just a wonderful end to his life,” Carlsberg said.
Ironically, Bryant advocated a fair housing ordinance in 1963, just one year before he was denied housing because of his race.
The company that owns the Avalon Housing complex wanted to make sure that history was corrected while also knowing that some African Americans still face that same discrimination.
“He would love knowing that this had all been taken over by Avalon Housing and was now dedicated to helping get good housing and keep good housing. It’s wonderful to have an organization like Avalon,” Jean added.
You may remember Jean Carlberg. She is actually a former city councilman. She’s very happy to see this taking place in Ann Arbor.
Full interviews of the dedication can be found below: