Cultural Center in Detroit in Wayne County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
International Institute Of Detroit / International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, May 5, 2021
1. International Institute Of Detroit Marker
Inscription.
International Institute Of Detroit, also, International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit. .
International Institute Of Detroit. The International Institute of Detroit was founded by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in 1919. It was one of fifty-five institutes across the United States that developed after 1911, when Edith Terry Bremer founded the first international institute in New York. Bremer’s model helped immigrants adjust to their new U.S. homes while maintaining their cultural identities. The Detroit institute’s first official building was located at the corner of East Adams and Witherell Streets. The organization helped new arrivals find jobs and homes, become citizens, learn English and acquire medical care. In 1934 the institute, then located at 2431 East Grand Boulevard, merged with the YWCA Women’s Center and changed its name to the International Center.
International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit. The International Center became the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit in 1944 and separated from the YWCA. It dedicated land for the current building at this site with a multicultural parade in June 1949. Participants dressed in clothing from a variety of cultures and performed traditional songs and dances. The institute moved into this building, designed by O’Dell, Hewlett, and Luckenbach Associates, in 1951. The U.S. Department of Justice Board of Immigration Appeals accredited the institute in 1958. Striving to preserve and share international cultures, the institute has offered annual festivals, a restaurant, youth classes and exhibits.
International Institute Of Detroit
The International Institute of Detroit was founded by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) in 1919. It was one of fifty-five institutes across the United States that developed after 1911, when Edith Terry Bremer founded the first international institute in New York. Bremer’s model helped immigrants adjust to their new U.S. homes while maintaining their cultural identities. The Detroit institute’s first official building was located at the corner of East Adams and Witherell Streets. The organization helped new arrivals find jobs and homes, become citizens, learn English and acquire medical care. In 1934 the institute, then located at 2431 East Grand Boulevard, merged with the YWCA Women’s Center and changed its name to the International Center.
International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit
The International Center became the International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit in 1944 and separated from the YWCA. It dedicated land for the current building at this site with a multicultural parade in June 1949. Participants dressed in clothing from a variety of cultures and performed traditional songs and dances. The institute moved into this building, designed by O’Dell, Hewlett, and Luckenbach Associates, in 1951. The U.S. Department of Justice
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Board of Immigration Appeals accredited the institute in 1958. Striving to preserve and share international cultures, the institute has offered annual festivals, a restaurant, youth classes and exhibits.
Erected 2019 by Michigan Historical Commission - Michigan Historical Center. (Marker Number L2320.)
Location. 42° 21.658′ N, 83° 3.873′ W. Marker is in Detroit, Michigan, in Wayne County. It is in Cultural Center. Marker is at the intersection of East Kirby Street and John R Street, on the left when traveling east on East Kirby Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 111 E Kirby St, Detroit MI 48202, United States of America. Touch for directions.
The International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit (IIMD) was founded in Detroit in 1919 by a group of YWCA volunteers, who sought to help legal immigrants learn English, appreciate freedom and democracy, become U.S. citizens, be assimilated into their new communities, and learn to understand each other's cultures.
(Submitted on May 6, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan.)
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, May 5, 2021
3. International Institute Of Detroit / International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 6, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 176 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on May 6, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
