Issue No. 32

Welcome Home, {{first_name|default:Michigander}}!

😰 Michigan Men's Basketball NCAA History

Digest Exclusive: Michigan ended up on the right side of history after winning the NCAA men's basketball national championship on Monday, April 6th. The fourth consecutive game where Michigan held an opponent to a season-low field goal percentage, proving defense wins championships.

🎬 A 5-time Oscar Winner Named After Ford

Bonus: Francis Ford Coppola is famous for his high-stakes gambles. He personally invested $30 million to make Apocalypse Now, which went on to gross over $150 million worldwide. But at age 85, he’s nearly lost it all. He poured over $120 million of his fortune into the 2024 sci-fi epic Megalopolis, which went on to gross just $14.4 million.

🐴 The Last Detroit Fire Horses Retire

Bonus: Firefighters fought the change for years, arguing that the new motorized Packard engines were "hard starting" and less reliable than a horse. Every fire horse in the city had to pass a 2-year program featuring a 700-foot racetrack and individual report cards. They were trained so well that even after retirement, they’d instinctively gallop toward any fire alarm they heard on the street.

😅 I Bet Everything on Michigan History

Bonus: The very first Quarterly Impact Report drops this Monday, April 13th! Join The 1837 Club before then to get a behind-the-scenes look at our Q1 milestones and see exactly how your support is keeping Michigan history alive.

Tip: Click the underlined title for any moment to watch on YouTube for free!

A special shoutout to five of our Founding Members of The 1837 Club for helping us preserve Michigan's history: Amy B., Brandon J., Gerald D., Samantha Y., and Steven M. Your continued support helps make this all possible!

A warm welcome to our newest member David S. who answered our call on Friday and became a Founding Member.

Want to see your name featured and support help us make Michigan history more accessible? Become a Founding Member today. Click here to learn more.

Announced 71 years ago today at the University of Michigan, the success of Salk’s inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) effectively ended a decades-long era of childhood terror and social isolation.

By mobilizing 1.8 million "Polio Pioneers" and utilizing "dimes" from ordinary citizens, Dr. Thomas Francis Jr. demonstrated the power of community-funded science to solve existential threats.

In 2026, this legacy of collective hope continues to define Michigan’s spirit, celebrated through the prestigious Thomas Francis Jr. Medal in Global Public Health.

Situated on the banks of the Grand River in Grand Rapids, this museum serves as the final resting place and legacy of the only U.S. President from Michigan.

For a limited time this April, the museum is hosting the special exhibit "Opening the Vault: The Northwest Ordiance," which features original, history-making documents usually hidden from public view.

Visitors can even walk through a replica of the Oval Office and see the actual tools used during the 1970s "History in the Making" moments that defined the Ford presidency.

Explore the special exhibits or plan your visit at the official Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum website.

One year ago, I was laid off. Instead of looking back, I went all-in to make Michigan history more accessible. Since then, I’ve produced 100+ videos for a community that has grown to over 45,000 people!

I love this work, but the financial reality is a bit of a climb: last month, our Facebook page earned under $30, while expenses for Welcome Home History topped $300. With big plans on the horizon, those costs are soon to double.

Thankfully, a dedicated group of Michigan history patrons in The 1837 Club stepped up to help bridge the gap. I want to keep these stories free for everyone, but I need a sustainable foundation for Year 2.

That is why the club is so vital. For just $3 a month, you can help protect our mission and keep Michigan history accessible to all. I’m currently working on an ambitious project to make our history even more engaging and sustainable—and you make that possible. You aren’t just a subscriber; you’re a part of something impactful, meaningful, and purely Michigan.

16 spots are already gone. I hope you’ll be our next Founding Member! Claim your spot and help us make year 2 the best one yet.

Until next week, thank you for reading Michigan History Digest.
— Zac and the Welcome Home History Team.

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