BOTTOM ROW - Douglass Community Exterior Sign

Exterior Sign, Douglass Community Association, 1970s-1980s

Donor: Milliam Williams 

The Douglass Community Association (DCA), originally located on the third floor of 262 North Burdick Street, was named in honor of former enslaved man and 19th-century abolitionist Frederick Douglass. It was founded in 1919 to address the social, recreational, and cultural needs of African American soldiers stationed at Fort Custer. Throughout its history, the DCA has continued to serve the greater Kalamazoo community as a center for social, recreational, and community development activities.

From Social Dances to Social Justice 

By the 1940s, the DCA had outgrown its Burdick Street location and moved into a three-story building on the corner of Ransom and Pitcher Streets. This facility had a library, social rooms, and a large gymnasium where they held back-to-school dances and Friday night sock hops. 

In 1964, the DCA was recognized as a social service agency, and by the late 1960s, leaders in the civil rights movement were making the DCA a stopping point as they gathered support for their cause. Local activists used the center to plan strategy for school desegregation and equal job and housing opportunities. The association's mission changed significantly during the tumultuous 1960s, from a social organization to a place that played an influential role in social change, particularly as it affected the African-American community. 

100 Years of Service 

In 1984, when the DCA moved to its current location on West Paterson Street, it reincorporated the recreational component into its social services operations. Today, the Douglass Community Center focuses on helping youth by ensuring that effective, efficient, and quality opportunities in behavioral health, recreation, and youth and family development are available on the Northside of Kalamazoo.