Inside the Clague Middle School library, there is a mural painted by Ray Pipkin. Ray Pipkin served as a Language Arts and History teacher at Clague from approximately 1978 to 1990. 

The mural showcases Clague’s first three principles. The one on the left is Richard Nowland, who served as a principal at Clague for twenty years. The person in the middle is Jean Henne. The one on the left is Che Carter. 

Before his teaching career, Pipkin was part of the U.S. Air Force. At the base of the U.S. Air Force, there was a library that introduced him to Black-history books. He soon got inspired to teach students about Black history. 

Pipkin held seven degrees in arts and education. He was dedicated to showing a balanced view of history as a teacher and artist. 

“I specialize in history that’s been frozen out,” he told the Ann Arbor News in 1989. 

Pipkin said he wanted to “paint a balanced picture” of the past that showed the contributions and stories of African-Americans. 

As we celebrate Black History Month, Pipkin has impacted a lot of students.  Through his murals and stories, Ray Pipkin taught students about the history that might’ve been missed in the history textbooks.