MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — Rowan Park is undergoing a major renovation. At the center of the project is a statue honoring the high school's marching band which was unveiled Friday.
That statue is not only significant to the city, but especially meaningful to long-time resident, Floyd Cook, Jr.
"This city is home for me," Cook says. "I was part of the school system all the way from kindergarten all the way through twelfth-grade graduation."
Always an artistic mind, Cook put that to use as a member of the marching band.
"My musical career started in junior high school at about the seventh grade," he says.
But as a middle school saxophone player, he didn't have any idea he'd soon make history.
"It was my band director that put me in the history books, really," says Cook.
That opportunity came in 1958 when band director Albert Meerzo asked the 16-year-old Cook to be the band's drum major.
"Wow, my eyes lit up," he remembers.
And just like that, he became the first Black drum major in school history.
"I was very proud and honored to take that role," Cook said.
His biggest hang-up was that each drum major before him had been a girl and they were all excellent with batons.
"I didn't know how to twirl a baton," he laughs.
Cook also was tasked with putting together his own uniform. And now, just like Cook, the uniform will go down in history, too as it's currently featured on a statue in Rowan Park.
Cook performed with the marching band at the park back in the day, and he's proud the spirit of the band will return to the park once again.
"It just brings me a lot of pride to still remember way back when and bringing out the further greatness of the city of Muskegon Heights," says Cook.
The 12-foot bronze statue is nearly a year in the making. The artist, Ari Norris, shared a sneak peek on Facebook in early October.
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