Michele Samuels Breaks New Ground at Detroit Golf Club
Michele Samuels has been named the first Black woman president of the Detroit Golf Club, a historic appointment made public during the 2025 Rocket Classic. Her new title comes more than a decade after she first joined the club in 2012.
Her presidency marks a powerful moment not only for the prestigious club, founded in 1899, but also for the city of Detroit. Samuels’ leadership adds a new chapter to the ongoing story of inclusion in spaces once closed to Black members.
A Legacy Rooted in Resistance and Leadership
Samuels comes from a remarkable family line. She is the great-great-granddaughter of William Parker, a once-enslaved man who helped lead the 1851 Christiana Riot and later served as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Parker and his wife, Eliza, risked their lives to protect other freedom seekers.
After escaping to Canada, Parker wrote about his experience in an 1866 essay titled “The Freedman’s Story.” That history lives on through Samuels. “It explained a lot about who I am, and why I’m always fighting for something and leading,” she said.
From Corporate Executive to Golf Club President
Before her retirement in January, Samuels worked for 35 years at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. She held several leadership roles, including senior vice president and compliance officer. Her career was marked by a deep commitment to ethics and service.
Now, her focus turns to the Detroit Golf Club. She brings decades of leadership experience to the position and says she feels “humbled” by the opportunity to lead in a place where people who looked like her were once denied entry.
Honoring Detroit’s Black Golf History
At the 2025 Rocket Classic, Samuels shared how a session on Black golf in Detroit moved her deeply. “It gave me strong perspective about where Black people in Detroit were kind of denied access to membership in clubs,” she told The Detroit Free Press.
Now, as president, she hopes to carry forward the club’s values while building more paths for others. “Love the environment, love the diversity of the club,” she said. “To be able to be part of a golf club centered in the city of Detroit is just an honor.”
