Author & Historian
After just a few months as a new reporter at the Battle Creek Enquirer (USA Today), she learned that some music legends were coming for the funeral of a local music legend, Wade Flemons. She had heard of some of the other musicians who came to the funeral, but who was Wade Flemons? Not only did she learn that Flemons wrote a hit song called “Here I Stand” while he was a Battle Creek Central High School student. She learned that he and his friend Maurice White founded the musical group the Salty Peppers and later co-founded the R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire.
The desire to learn more led to Hollins interviewing dozens of local musicians who shared their claims to fame, which began at a club called the El Grotto. Today, the book Here I Stand is the only history book on the lives of musicians who began their mark in the world of music at the little club between Motown and Chicago. That book has led to Hollins helping more than 200 authors make their dreams come true as local authors.
Her love for history has led to her being commissioned to write books about the Western Michigan University chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, the history of the Douglass Community Center, and more! Sonya’s passion for history also led to the founding of the Merze Tate Explorers, a youth travel writing organization that exposes girls to careers and college opportunities in their community and beyond. In addition, the young travel writers visit amazing people and places around the world.
After her debut, Here I Stand local history project, Sonya realized the lack of local history for youth and adults. Her passion for African American history and her love for the art of oral storytelling led to other books and collaborations.
She partnered with Doug Smith to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Epsilon Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., on the Western Michigan University campus. The book A Mutual Destiny: Achieving the Dream Together contains historic fraternity documents and interviews with key founding members to bring their stories to life. She conducted oral history interviews and worked with archivists at WMU and other resources to create the first history book for the chapter. Her husband, Sean, used graphic design creativity to tell a graphically engaging story to complement the history.
After their success with the Alpha project, other organizations sought Sonya and Sean out for their expertise in self-publishing. The two helped edit and design The Library Ladies of Kalamazoo: Their Home and History. The Kalamazoo Preservation Association recognized Sean and other writers of the book with an award for their work in documenting the organization’s more than 100-year history.
The Douglass Community Association in Kalamazoo commissioned Sonya to chronicle the 100th anniversary of their organization’s history in Kalamazoo. She produced A Century of Service: The Frederick Douglass Community Association. Again, the work of Sean and Sonya led the Douglass Community Association to be recognized by the Kalamazoo Preservation Association for the publication of local history.
Sonya then worked with Edmore, Michigan historians, to tell the story of their town’s first resident and barbershop owner. Benjamin Losford was the son of an enslaved barber, Abraham Losford. Benjamin Losford and His Handy Dandy Clippers is a delightful story of finding your dream. Abraham escaped slavery on a Boone County, Kentucky plantation. He settled in Howell, Michigan, where he was the first African American resident and barber. After the Civil War, Abraham returned to Boone County to bring his son, Benjamin, north. Benjamin learned the barber trade and moved to Edmore to make his own history. This children’s book includes historical images and a timeline at the back of the book. It is a great resource for teachers focusing on history, particularly Civil War, Michigan, and local history.
Musical fun and community were the themes behind Sonya’s next project, Jammin’ in Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra commissioned this colorful, rhythmic children’s story. The book was part of a grant project the KSO created with jazz great Branford Marsalis. Marsalis used the lyrical story to create a piece for a quartet. The book debuted in a community storytelling event where over 1,000 music lovers of all ages attended for free.
Sonya kept the musical children’s theme in Little Eddie Goes to Carnegie Hall. This book is based on Sonya’s real-life musical son, Edward Callahan. Callahan resides in New York City and is the first African American to hit #1 on Billboard’s Classical charts. His dream is to play on the main stage of Carnegie Hall. The book is a mother’s tribute and motivation to her son as he pursues his dream.
There are many hidden gems in history. Sonya worked to uncover the history of Kalamazoo’s African Americans in her children’s book series, Your Turn Women and Men editions. These coloring books, illustrated by Jerome Washington, provide fun, interactive learning. Members of the Merze Tate Explorers produced min-documentaries on YouTube that feature many of the women in the book.
