Henderson was born and raised in Florida during segregation and later moved to Detroit with her family during the Great Migration period.

From there, she went on to graduate from Eastern High School and earn a master’s degree in counseling from Wayne State University, a rare feat for a woman of that era…especially a woman of color.

During her early career, Erma was deeply involved in community service, working for Detroit Public Schools, the Commission on Community Relations, and even as an aide to then-Councilman Nicholas Hood Sr.

Erma Henderson made history in 1972 when she became the first African American woman elected to the Detroit City Council — not through shady backroom deals, but nonstop grassroots campaigning.

She based her platform on the needs of the neighborhood: safer streets, economic opportunity, fair housing, and fair government.

She then went on to be elected as President of the Council in 1977, making her one of the nation’s most influential municipal leaders.

Henderson’s fight was not restricted to the city.

She was also a vocal supporter of the anti-Apartheid movement, organized the first national conference of Black Elected Officials in 1970, and worked closely with civil rights leaders to connect Detroit’s struggles with various global liberation movements.

Some of the struggles she looked to solve include: police reform, women’s advancement, and stronger local tenant protection.

She was also never afraid to challenge the establishment, whether that meant corporate polluters or political allies who had lost their moral foundation.

Henderson’s style of leadership was deeply rooted in accessibility.

The door to her office was always open to activists, block club leaders, clergy, and anyone else who felt unheard.

She believed that elected officials should stand with their constituents, not just represent them.

Henderson continued to mentor rising leaders over the course of her career, using her voice to speak out on community issues that mattered to her and attending neighborhood meetings well into her senior years long after her departure from the council in 1989.

Erma Henderson changed what it meant to be a leader in Detroit, demonstrating that political power can be exercised without ever losing touch with those who granted it.

She didn’t care about fancy titles — she cared about fostering trust.

In that way, Erma Henderson was far more than just a councilwoman for a generation of Detroiters.

She was living proof that the halls of power could echo with the voices of the people.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: August 18, 2025