Museum Staff

David Pilgrim, Founder and Director

In his role as Director, Dr. Pilgrim is responsible for the following:

• Collecting the objects to be housed in the Museum.
• Devising ways to exhibit and interpret the Museums objects.
• Creating traveling exhibits;
• Working with museum staff to maintain and protect the Museum's objects;
• Working with museum staff to keep track of inventory;
• And, educating the public about the objects and publicizing their existence.

Contact Dr. Pilgrim: [email protected]

(231) 591-3946

Lisa Kemmis, Museum Assistant

Lisa Kemmis has served as the Museum assistant since 2010. Ms. Kemmis primary responsibilities are:

• Initial contact person for all Museum business.
• Scheduling of all group tours.
• Scheduling for the Museum's traveling exhibits.
• Processing monetary and artifact donations.
• Docent.
• Office administration duties.

Contact Lisa Kemmis: [email protected]

(231) 591-5873

Cyndi Tiedt, Collections Manager

Cyndi Tiedt joined the Jim Crow Museum staff in July 2017.  Mrs. Tiedt is responsible for:

• Implementing museum educational experiences.
• Managing proper documentation of the museum collections.
• Maintaining the collections management database.
• Ensuring proper care and preservation of the museum collections by managing the collections storage rooms and implementing preventive conservation methods.

Contact Cyndi Tiedt: [email protected]

(231) 591-3103

Education Coordinator (Currently Vacant)

The Education Coordinator is responsible for the following:

• All educational programming for the Museum.
• Developing curriculum, museum learning experiences, and lesson plans for the Museum
• Developing and leading professional development sessions for traditional and non-traditional educators.
• Collaborating with educational and community leaders, and partner organizations, on the implementation of educational experiences pertaining to the Museum.

Contact the museum about educational programming and materials [email protected]

Franklin Hughes, Videographer/Multimedia

Franklin Hughes joined the Jim Crow Museum staff in the fall of 2011. Mr. Hughes is responsible for:

• The audio and video content of the New Jim Crow Museum.
• Redesign of the Jim Crow Museum web site.
• Creating video content for use in the museum and for promotions.

Contact Franklin Hughes: [email protected]

(231) 591-3970

Seva TerBurgh,
Student Employee

Seva TerBurgh joined the JCM staff in the Spring of 2021. Seva is a student enrolled at Ferris in the Digital Animation and Game Design program. They are responsible for:

• Coordinating and training other students brought on board.
• Accessioning donations into the collection & recording donation information.
• Packing & safely storing objects according to preservation standards.

Axel Seitz,
Student Employee

Axel Seitz is a Senior at Ferris State from Marquette, Michigan. He will be graduating in the Spring of 2023 with his Bachelors in Integrative Studies and History. Axel joined the JCM team in the Spring of 2022, he has stayed very involved on campus joining many student organizations including his Fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, in which he has served as Treasurer and President. His duties at the Jim Crow Museum include:

• Engaging with visitors.
• Administrative tasks.
• Assisting in collections.
• Working on the JCM online database.

Tyler Ashford,
Student Employee

Tyler Ashford is a junior in the Digital Animation and Game Development program. He is a Detroit native but also lived in Lima, Ohio. Tyler has stayed involved around campus while working at the Jim Crow Museum, serving as the Vice President of the Ferris Card Club and the secretary for the E-Sports team. He has been working at the Jim Crow Museum since June of 2022. Tyler’s interest in joining the Jim Crow Museum staff started with his curiosity about his people’s history and the history surrounding the civil rights era.
His primary duties are:

• Photography. 
• Digital cataloging of artifacts.