For years, Dearborn has supported and participated with interfaith organizations and in regional roundtables with diverse communities, and actively promotes initiatives dedicated to increasing unity and understanding.

So we want Dearborn to be understood as it is today—a community that works hard at fostering positive relationships within our city and beyond. We expect city-funded publications like The Historian to support these efforts.

It was thought that by presenting information from 100 years ago that included hateful messages -- without a compelling reason directly linked to events in Dearborn today -- this edition of the city-funded Historian could become a distraction from our continuing messages of inclusion and respect.

For this reason, the Mayor asked that the distribution of the hard copies of the current edition of The Historian be halted.

Clarifying the status of the contractor

The Mayor did not “fire” Mr. McGraw.    

The Dearborn Historical Museum, via the chief curator, contracted with Mr.  McGraw to produce the city-funded Historian, one edition at a time of the quarterly publication. Mr. McGraw is not an employee of the City of Dearborn or of the museum. Per the contract, the curator has the right to end the contract for any reason. The chief curator made the decision to terminate the contract.