A Holland, Michigan legend from the 1930s told of an African American child, a former slave who was rescued from the South during the Civil War and raised in a Dutch immigrant family in West Michigan. In time, this child learned the fundamentals of Calvinism and even the Dutch language, which he spoke to the amazement of many. How much of the legend of the Black Dutchman was true and how much was elaborated? Through exhaustive research, Historian and Hope College Graduate Professor, Michael Douma confirms much of the legend and shows that the truth of the matter was even more interesting than the story that had been passed down.
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This program was live on Thursday, January 20, 2022
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Free, virtual adult program; donations appreciated.
Holland Museum Cultural Lens Program.
Speaker Biography
Michael Douma
Michael Douma is a graduate of Hope College (’04) and he earned his PhD in history from Florida State University in 2011. He is currently an assistant professor at Georgetown University’s business school, where he teaches courses in the economic history of slavery and globalization. He has authored three books, edited three more, and has published numerous articles on the history of the Dutch in the United States.
This program is part of the Holland Museum “Tales from the Archives” series which explores local history topics supported by the Holland Museum’s collection and archives.
Holland Museum Cultural Lens Series program.
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