1955: Rosa Parks makes history; Tyree Guyton is born.
1986: Guyton founds The Heidelberg Project with wife, Karen and his grandfather and mentor Sam (Grandpa) Mackey.
1988: The Heidelberg Project receives national media attention from People and Newsweek magazines.
1989: Guyton receives the "Spirit of Detroit" Award.
1990: Guyton exhibits a one man show at the Detroit Institute of Arts.
1991: Guyton appears on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Shortly after, Detroit Mayor Coleman Young orders the demolition of four Guyton house installations.
1992: Grandpa Sam Mackey passes away in June. Guyton receives the Governor “Artist of the Year Award” from Governor John Engler and is recognized nationally in "Who's Who in Black America".
1993: Jenenne Whitfield joins the Project in June as Executive Director, spearheading renewed activity and direction. City elects Dennis Archer as its new Mayor.
1994: The Heidelberg Project hosts a street festival. Council member Maryann Mahaffey and Motown Museum founder Esther Gordy Edwards are guest speakers.
1995: Work begins on a documentary about Tyree and the Heidelberg Project.
1996: A photo exhibition of the Heidelberg Project travels throughout Europe. The Heidelberg Project is featured in Time and Essence Magazines.
1997: The Heidelberg Project receives a $47,500 grant from the City of Detroit Cultural Affairs Dept. for the development of a Cafe and Welcoming Center. In October certain council members declare war against the Heidelberg Project. The Heidelberg Project is featured on “the Today Show”.
1998: The Heidelberg Project is recognized as the third most visited Cultural Tourist site in Detroit with over 275,000 visitors annually. The Heidelberg Project is threatened once again with a second demolition. The Heidelberg Project legal team files and receives a restraining order against the City of Detroit.
1999: The restraining order is lifted and within one hour the city begins tearing down part of the Heidelberg Project marking the 2nd demolition. HBO in New York licenses the Heidelberg Project documentary, Come Unto Me: The Faces of Tyree Guyton.
2000: Portions of the Heidelberg Project travel to Harvard University, Three Rivers Art Festival (Pittsburgh, PA), and Ecuador. Guyton and Whitfield travel to Ecuador to represent the United States in the “Artist in Embassies Program.” The Heidelberg Project’s documentary, Come Unto Me: The Faces of Tyree Guyton, wins 10 awards locally, nationally, and internationally, including Honorable Mention at the Sundance Film Festival and an Emmy Award.
2001: Guyton and Whitfield continue to lecture around the country and the world. Tyree is invited to the Detroit Institute of Arts' celebration of Detroit's 300th birthday to create a house installation entitled "Open House". Back by popular demand, Guyton and Whitfield return to Ecuador.
2002: Tyree Guyton is commissioned by the city of Detroit Cultural Affairs Department to participate in the City of Detroit’s historic Thanksgiving Day Parade with an artistic-styled garbage truck on wheels called “Tic Tock on the Spot.”
2003: Guyton receives the Wayne County International Artist Award from the Wayne County Council for Arts, History & Humanities.
2004: The Heidelberg Project receives the prestigious Environmental Research and Design Award (Oklahoma, OK) for Place Design in 2004 (www.edra.com). Guyton travels to Australia for his biggest project to date, "Singing for that Country," spearheaded by internationally renowned performance artist Aku Kadogo.
2005: The Heidelberg Project wins the Silver Medal Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence (Cambridge, MA), which included a $10,000 cash award (www.brunerfoundation.org).
2006: The Heidelberg Project hosts its 20th anniversary celebration Connect The Dots Festival on Heidelberg Street in Detroit with guests sporting polka dot t-shirts. Guests from as far away as Australia attended this historical occasion.
