{"id":26046,"date":"2026-06-24T15:26:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T15:26:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/?p=26046"},"modified":"2026-06-24T15:26:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T15:26:46","slug":"michigan-historical-marker-will-honor-the-legacy-of-community-historian-dr-lucile-luci-cruz-gajec","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laprensanewspaper.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/24\/michigan-historical-marker-will-honor-the-legacy-of-community-historian-dr-lucile-luci-cruz-gajec\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan Historical Marker will honor the legacy of community historian Dr. Lucile \u2018Luci\u2019 Cruz Gajec"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>STATE\u2019S SECOND HISTORICAL MARKER HONORING MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY MEMBER TO BE PLACED IN SOUTHWEST DETROIT JUNE 28, 2026<\/strong>
\nThe first-of-its-kind Michigan Historical Marker will honor the legacy of community historian Dr. Lucile \u2018Luci\u2019 Cruz Gajec<\/strong><\/p>\n

WHAT: An official State of Michigan Historical Marker in Southwest Detroit will be the second in the state to recognize the contributions of a Mexican-American community member to Michigan history. The marker will feature a Spanish\/English translation. The State of Michigan Historical Commission approved the installation of a Michigan Historical Marker honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Lucile Cruz Gajec\u2014educator, historian, founder of Museo Indigenista, and the woman long known as \u201cthe community historian of Southwest Detroit.\u201d
\nThe marker was made possible through research by Irma Maribel Guzman and the Michigan History Center, with generous support from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
\nThe unveiling will be celebrated with live music and a dedication ceremony on Sunday, June 28. Performers include COMP\u00c1S Ensemble & Mariachi Mexico 2020. Members of the community are invited to join the celebration free of charge.<\/p>\n

WHO: Speakers at the dedication ceremony include:
\n\u25cf Luis Ali, SDBA & AGI Construction
\n\u25cf Jesse Venegas, Ideal Group
\n\u25cf Tobi Voigt, Michigan History Center
\n\u25cf Irma Maribel Guzman, Detroit VOCES Collective
\n\u25cf Rachel Harness, Gajec Family<\/p>\n

WHEN: Sunday, June 28, 2026
\nThe celebration and live music will start at 1 p.m.
\nThe brief dedication ceremony will be held at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n

WHERE: La Joya Gardens
\n4000 W. Vernor Hwy., Detroit, MI 48209
\nThe marker will be placed near the corner of W. Vernor Hwy & Hubbard St. The marker placement was chosen because it is the former site of Museo Indigenista.<\/p>\n

About Dr. Lucile \u2018Luci\u2019 Cruz Gajec<\/strong>
\nBorn March 4, 1926, in Harlingen, Texas, Dr. Gajec was a third-generation American of Mexican descent
\nwho arrived in Detroit in 1959. Dr. Gajec was a renowned community historian, educator, and founder of
\nMuseo Indigenista in 1991\u2014a community museum dedicated to preserving Indo-Hispanic culture. Over
\nher lifetime, she earned multiple degrees, including a Doctor of Education from Wayne State University.
\nDr. Gajec\u2019s service on boards and committees spanned from 1968 to 2002, including roles with the LA
\nSED (Latin Americans for Social & Economic Development), Circulo Mutualista Mexicano, National
\nAssociation of Folklore Groups, Mexican Patriotic Committee, Detroit Ethnic Festivals Committee, Detroit
\nMexican Festival, Most Holy Trinity Church, Corktown Folk Dance Group, and LULAC (League of United
\nLatin American Citizens), Detroit Historic Designation Advisory Board, among many more. She received
\nrecognitions from organizations in the City of Detroit, across Michigan, and internationally\u2014honored as a
\nguardian of Mexican culture and a preserver of a people\u2019s history. Dr. Lucile \u201cLuci\u201d Cruz Gajec passed
\naway on April 29, 2008, but her work has never left the neighborhoods she served.<\/p>\n

About Detroit VOCES Collective<\/strong>
\nDetroit VOCES Collective (DVC) is a group of Southwest Detroiters dedicated to celebrating and
\ndocumenting the rich and enduring lives of Latinos in Detroit. They pursue this mission through a wide
\nrange of creative projects across diverse formats. Their founding initiative, the Detroit VOCES:
\nSouthwest Oral History Project, is laying the groundwork for the collective\u2019s ongoing efforts to preserve
\nand uplift community stories, ensuring these voices continue to inspire future generations. DVC has
\nidentified the following outcomes for their work:1) Honor the history and contributions of our communities,
\n2) Inform inclusive development of our city neighborhoods, 3) Inspire new possibilities across
\ngenerations, 4) Weave a holistic history of Detroit.<\/p>\n

About Southwest Detroit Business Association<\/strong>
\nEstablished in 1957, the Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) is a coalition of businesses and
\nentrepreneurs committed to fostering a stable, economically healthy, and vibrant neighborhood. We
\nsupport our community’s vision for growth by cultivating innovation, collaboration, and shared prosperity.
\nOur commitment to equity means actively dismantling barriers so underrepresented individuals and
\ncommunities can fully participate in and benefit from available opportunities. We achieve this by providing
\naccess to resources, networking, mentorship, and educational programs that empower businesses to
\nthrive, and serve as a vehicle for cooperative economic development in Southwest Detroit.<\/p>\n

About COMP\u00c1S & Ensemble<\/strong>
\nThe Center of Music & Performing Arts Southwest (COMP\u00c1S) was established in 2007 through a
\ncollaboration between community performing artists and the Southwest Detroit Business Association.
\nLocated in the historic Odd Fellows Building in Detroit\u2019s Springwells Village neighborhood, COMP\u00c1S
\nprovides year-round arts, recreation, and educational opportunities for youth. Through professional
\ninstruction in dance, instrumental music, and visual arts, COMP\u00c1S celebrates and preserves the rich
\nLatino heritage of Southwest Detroit while fostering creativity, confidence, and leadership in young
\npeople.
\nThe COMP\u00c1S Ensemble is a select group of student musicians who represent the program through
\nperformances at community events, cultural celebrations, and special engagements throughout the year.
\nThe ensemble showcases the talent and dedication of COMP\u00c1S students while promoting cultural pride,
\nartistic excellence, and community engagement through music.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

STATE\u2019S SECOND HISTORICAL MARKER HONORING MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY MEMBER TO BE PLACED IN SOUTHWEST DETROIT JUNE 28, 2026 The first-of-its-kind Michigan Historical Marker will honor the legacy of community historian Dr. Lucile \u2018Luci\u2019 Cruz Gajec WHAT: An official State of Michigan Historical Marker in Southwest Detroit will be the second in the state to recognize the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_rtcl_gb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[317],"class_list":["post-26046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t