Cultural Center in Detroit in Wayne County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

International Institute Of Detroit
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International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit

International Institute Of Detroit Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, May 5, 2021

1. International Institute Of Detroit Marker

Inscription. 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 DetroitThe 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

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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.

Erected 2019 by Michigan Historical Commission - Michigan Historical Center. (Marker Number L2320.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1919.

Location. 42° 21.658′ N, 83° 3.873′ W. Marker is in Detroit, Michigan, in Wayne County. It is in Cultural Center. It 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.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast

International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, May 5, 2021

2. International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit Marker

Michigan.

It is also in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Robert Pauli Scherer (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Lewis College of Business (about 300 feet away); Charles Lang Freer House / Merrill-Palmer Institute (about 500 feet away); Omega Psi Phi (about 500 feet away); Scarab Club (about 700 feet away); Detroit Association of Women's Clubs (approx. 0.2 miles away); Cathedral Church of St. Paul / Interfaith Emergency Center (approx. 0.3 miles away); First Congregational Church of Detroit (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Detroit.

Also see . . . International Institute Of Metro Detroit. Excerpt:

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
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, May 5, 2021

3. International Institute Of Detroit / International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit Marker
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.)

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 604 times since then and 70 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.

International Institute Of Detroit⎯⎯⎯International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit

International Institute Of Detroit
⎯⎯⎯
International Institute Of Metropolitan Detroit