The Ann Arbor Ozone Homecoming Parade
In 1972, the University of Michigan decided to cancel their homecoming parade due to lack of interest and dwindling attendance. Into that vacuum stepped counterculture artists, musicians, filmmakers, and performers to create the Ozone Parade, a free-for-all that showcased the wild creativity of Ann Arbor in the 1970s. In The Ann Arbor Ozone Homecoming Parade, filmmaker Terri Sarris takes us through the life of the parade through archival footage and the voices of participants and creators.
And for more stories about the Ozone Parade, check out the 75-minute director's cut.
The Ann Arbor Ozone Homecoming Parade: The Director's Cut
In 1972, the University of Michigan decided to cancel their homecoming parade due to lack of interest and dwindling attendance. Into that vacuum stepped counterculture artists, musicians, filmmakers, and performers to create the Ozone Parade, a free-for-all that showcased the wild creativity of Ann Arbor in the 1970s. In The Ann Arbor Ozone Homecoming Parade, filmmaker Terri Sarris takes us through the life of the parade through archival footage and the voices of participants and creators.
This is the director's cut of Sarris's 24-minute original created for Ann Arbor 200.
AADL Board Meeting - February 26, 2024
February 26, 2024 Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Ann Arbor District Library
Theater for All: Here Comes Wild Swan!
In Theater for All: Here Comes Wild Swan!, Wild Swan Theater co-founders and directors Hilary Cohen and Sandy Ryder take us through the history of the all-ages theater from Ann Arbor that created performances and classes for over 40 years. Director Toko Shiiki uses historical images, articles, and performance films to showcase an organization that was an integral part of the local cultural landscape, performing for over 1 million theatergoers since 1980.
There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School
As part of Ann Arbor 200, the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio (7CS) have produced a documentary film about the closing of Ann Arbor's Jones School. In 1965, the Board of Education closed the majority-Black school. Ann Arbor joined a nationwide trend of school desegregation during the Civil Rights Era. But for these young students, the loss of a neighborhood school foreshadowed changes to their close-knit community. Gentrification came to Ann Arbor on the heels of desegregation.
In the making of this film, 7CS filmmakers and AADL archivists interviewed over thirty former Jones students and Black community leaders. They shared memories of Jones School and "The Old Neighborhood"—the areas now known as Kerrytown and Water Hill. A filmed walking tour, studio interviews, and historical photos form the core of the film. Run time is approximately 40 minutes.
The AADL Archives has many additional materials to explore relating to these topics, including a history of Jones School and dozens of Ann Arbor News articles that appear in the film:
AADL Board Meeting - January 29, 2024
January 29, 2024 Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Ann Arbor District Library
AADL Board Meeting - November 27th, 2023
November 27, 2023 Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Ann Arbor District Library