118:
381:
367:
278:. Professor Stephen Ward of the University of Michigan's Department of Afro-American studies challenged the project; signing a Change.org petition entitled "#UMichRegentrifiers: Invest in Detroiters" which was created by a University of Michigan student opposing the project. This project was cancelled and moved to a different location downtown in 2021. The site remains empty with no concrete plans as of early 2024.
137:, the first black mayor of Detroit, moved to Black Bottom with his family in 1923; he states his neighbors as Italian, Syrian, German, and Jewish. Young is quoted as having "loved that neighborhood." Surrounding neighborhoods passed restrictive covenants prohibiting blacks from purchasing or renting property in the adjacent areas, functionally confining residents to Black Bottom. During the
85:. Most of Black Bottom's residents were employed in manufacturing and the automotive factory jobs. Some black business owners and clergymen operating in the neighborhood were able to rise to the middle class, however many moved to the newer and better-constructed Detroit West Side neighborhoods. Historical lack of access for the general population of African Americans to
266:, exists as the last physical marker of the neighborhood. Architect Emily Kutil plans to recreate the neighborhood virtually, using photos from the Detroit Public Library's Burton Historical Collection, through a website called Black Bottom Street View. The website will purportedly also feature oral histories from past residents.
235:
funded the highway construction over
Hastings Street and surrounding city blocks. The highways, such as the Chrysler Freeway (formerly Oakland-Hastings), bisected the rest of the Lower East Side, including Paradise Valley and Black Bottom. The Edsel Ford Freeway also cut through the northernmost part
108:
Historically, the primary business district was in an area bounded by Vernor, John R., Madison, and
Hastings, with Gratiot Avenue running through the district as a "spoke" on the "hub-and-spoke" road layout of Detroit. The business district included hotels, restaurants, music stores, bowling alleys,
285:
awarded
Detroit a $ 104-million grant for the I-375 project which would demolish the current 1.062 mile-long sunken highway to construct a proposed lower speed boulevard at street-level. This project is slated to start construction in 2025. This project will reconnect neighborhood streets cut off by
269:
The
University of Michigan and Bedrock Detroit previously announced a new project at 1400 S. Antoine St. (at the intersection of Gratiot Ave. and I-375) for a 190,000 square feet structure including "residential units, a hotel, a conference center and a business collaboration and incubation space."
219:
and designated those remaining after the highway construction for clearance through a series of revitalization projects. Areas of both Black Bottom and
Paradise Valley faced destruction for the construction of medical and city-run institutions, as well as public housing projects. The passage of the
207:
Black Bottom was one of the poorest and densest sections of
Detroit, with a third of black Detroiters living within Paradise Valley. Homes commonly held three to four families within the dwelling. Overcrowding, disease, crime, and vermin ran rampant. Income inequality and redlining contributed to
26:, Michigan. The term has sometimes been used to apply to the entire neighborhood including Paradise Valley, but many consider the two neighborhoods to be separate. Together, Black Bottom and Paradise Valley were bounded by Brush Street to the west, the
65:
created a majority black neighborhood within
Detroit. As the Black Bottom grew, it became a lively area with jazz bars and nightclubs. From the 1930s to the 1950s, residents in Black Bottom made significant contributions to American music, including
125:
Historically, this geographical area was the source of the River
Savoyard, which was buried as a sewer in 1827. The river's flooding produced rich bottomland soils, for which early French colonial settlers named the area "Black Bottom". Before
643:, pp. 170-171. "John R. on the west, and with Gratiot cutting through it, was the area's business district. It contained shops, music stores, grocery stores, bowling alleys, hotels, restaurants, policy offices, and seventeen nightclubs."
215:, two-thirds of the physical structures of Black Bottom had been classified as aging and substandard, lacking modern amenities, or sitting in significant disrepair. The city government considered these areas
760:
1174:
262:
In 2000, the final three structures of
Paradise Valley were razed. A Michigan Historical Site marker sign on the former intersection of Adams Avenue and St. Antoine St., currently near
1033:
247:, intended as a model neighborhood containing residential townhouses, apartments and high-rises with commercial areas. Many of the former residents of Black Bottom were relocated to
941:
109:
shops, policy offices, and grocery stores. There were 17 nightclubs in the business district. The sunken I-375 highway passes directly over where
Hastings Avenue once was.
1060:
1008:
982:
239:
The sites of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley were replaced with private housing from the Gratiot Redevelopment Project. The city also supported construction of
224:
funded demolition. The city of Detroit sent photographers out to document structures. The photographs are now housed in the Burton Historical Collection at the
605:, p. 170. "i became the predominantly black residential section known as Black Bottom, so named for the rich, dark soil on which early settlers farmed."
1202:
956:
908:
699:
1158:
779:
201:
156:
The area's main commercial avenues were Hastings and St. Antoine streets. Paradise Valley contained night clubs where famous artists such as
1241:
582:
142:
801:
654:
141:, the area was primarily settled by blacks who established a community of businesses, social institutions, and night clubs. Detroit's
1163:
827:
475:, p. 20. "The name was not as racist as it sounds: the area was originally named by the French for its dark, fertile topsoil."
228:. By 1950, 423 residences, 109 businesses, 22 manufacturing plants, and 93 vacant lots had been condemned for the freeway project.
933:
394:
1256:
1100:
615:
547:
853:
1246:
89:
and Veterans Administration housing benefits combined with redlining segregated the neighborhoods from surrounding areas.
93:
414:
1146:
683:
527:
252:
138:
58:
1125:
1136:
232:
1168:
443:
282:
133:
In the early 20th century, European immigrants and blacks lived together in an ad-hoc integrated neighborhood.
724:
1117:
934:"Introducing the Detroit Center for Innovation world-class research and education in the heart of Detroit"
92:
In the early 1960s, the Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods were demolished for the purpose of
117:
883:
1251:
1183:
97:
39:
244:
185:
1188:
240:
57:). During World War I, Black Bottom was home to many Eastern European Jewish immigrants, and the
225:
50:
35:
1111:
1090:
81:
Despite the rich cultural and musical hub of Black Bottom, the neighborhood was plagued with
386:
49:
community that developed in the 20th century, the neighborhood was actually named by early
100:. Homes and businesses were demolished, and residents relocated to outside neighborhoods.
8:
221:
27:
619:
557:
259:. Jeffries Homes was demolished in 2001, and Brewster-Douglass was demolished in 2008.
208:
deferred housing upkeep and maintenance, which further deteriorated housing conditions.
45:
Although the name "Black Bottom" is often erroneously believed to be a reference to the
301:
1142:
1121:
1096:
523:
256:
1009:"Gilbert, Ross ditch plan for U-M innovation center on failed jail site in Detroit"
983:"Secret deal-making process for new U-M facility in downtown Detroit has downsides"
552:
150:
46:
861:
802:"Street near old Jeffries Projects named after Willie Horton | Roots (Community)"
372:
345:
323:
317:
271:
197:
165:
248:
193:
173:
169:
157:
1235:
1217:
1204:
351:
313:
307:
255:(a public housing project built near Black Bottom starting in the 1930s) and
134:
31:
1180:
1930s and 1940s photographs of children in Black Bottom and Paradise Valley
828:"Here's why the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects were built in the 1930s"
738:
522:. United States: Princeton University Press. pp. 23, 24, 47, 62, 196.
212:
177:
737:
1194:
329:
275:
181:
127:
82:
1137:
The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit
520:
The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit
335:
263:
54:
1179:
1095:(1st ed.). New York: Metropolitan Books, Henry Holt and Company.
780:"Capturing Black Bottom, a Detroit Neighborhood Lost to Urban Renewal
130:, European immigrants populated the area and built the frame houses.
782:(Scenes From a Historic Community in Detroit Just Before Its Erasure)
451:
326:, the leader of the Nation of Islam from 1934 until his death in 1975
295:
161:
62:
86:
71:
23:
53:
for the dark, fertile topsoil found in the area (known as river
339:
955:
Reporter, Madeline McLaughlin Daily Staff (October 30, 2019).
761:"Detroit's Black Bottom resurrected at Detroit Public Library"
655:"Buttigieg awards grant to tear down divisive Detroit highway"
348:, real estate developer, philanthropist, and sports team owner
67:
216:
75:
1061:"Federal grant funds a third of I-375 replacement project"
957:"'U' announces $ 300 million innovation center in Detroit"
583:"Detroit's Black Bottom neighborhood: See it then and now"
444:"Detroit's Black Bottom and Paradise Valley Neighborhoods"
909:"Bringing Detroit's Black Bottom back to (virtual) life"
700:"Bringing Detroit's Black Bottom back to (virtual) life"
884:"Before Motown: A History of Jazz and Blues in Detroit"
121:
Lafayette Park Detroit redevelopment over Black Bottom
1175:
When Detroit paved over paradise: The story of I-375
362:
725:"Paradise Valley | Detroit Historical Society"
61:influx of southern African Americans combined with
1159:Lafayette Park/Mies van der Rohe Historic District
243:, a modernist residential development designed by
1233:
1191:, by Howard Husock in Reason Magazine (Mar 2022)
745:(DVD video). Great Lakes Television Consortium.
758:
634:
598:
596:
678:
676:
145:contains a sub-district sometimes called the
777:
593:
1141:United States: Princeton University Press
754:
752:
673:
577:
575:
30:railroad tracks to the east, south to the
22:was a predominantly black neighborhood in
1189:The Destruction of Detroit's Black Bottom
980:
741:; Christopher M Cook (directors) (2011).
466:
16:Defunct neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan
1034:"I-375 Reconnecting Communities Project"
954:
116:
96:and to make way for the construction of
944:from the original on November 11, 2019.
749:
572:
437:
435:
395:History of African Americans in Detroit
1234:
1171:Article on the history of Black Bottom
1058:
545:
541:
539:
517:
38:. The area north of Gratiot Avenue to
513:
511:
509:
507:
505:
503:
501:
441:
1059:Beggin, Riley (September 15, 2022).
981:Gallagher, John (November 8, 2019).
499:
497:
495:
493:
491:
489:
487:
485:
483:
481:
432:
332:, jazz and gospel singer and actress
149:It is associated with the legacy of
1242:African-American history in Detroit
652:
536:
13:
1006:
778:Amy Crawford (February 15, 2019).
759:Michael Hodges (January 9, 2019).
548:"Paradise Valley and Black Bottom"
253:Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects
14:
1268:
1152:
546:Baulch, Vivian (August 7, 1996).
478:
289:
143:Broadway Avenue Historic District
653:Yen, Hope (September 15, 2022).
379:
365:
286:the sunken highway for decades.
42:was defined as Paradise Valley.
1092:Detroit City Is the Place to Be
1082:
1052:
1026:
1000:
974:
948:
926:
901:
876:
854:"Paradise Valley - MichMarkers"
846:
820:
794:
771:
731:
717:
692:
646:
608:
407:
310:, poet, essayist, and educator
283:Federal Highway Administration
184:regularly performed. In 1941,
1:
1257:History of racism in Michigan
1109:
938:Detroit Center for Innovation
888:daily.redbullmusicacademy.com
640:
602:
400:
320:, who disappeared around 1934
200:, originally established his
1118:Wayne State University Press
1088:
689:Retrieved February 20, 2015.
684:"Black Bottom Neighborhood,"
682:Detroit Historical Society,
472:
354:, mayor of Detroit, Michigan
103:
7:
1247:Ethnic enclaves in Michigan
1110:Woodford, Arthur M (2001).
415:"Black Bottom Neighborhood"
358:
233:Federal Highway Act of 1956
222:Federal Housing Act of 1949
10:
1273:
1113:This Is Detroit, 1701-2001
518:Sugrue, Thomas J. (2005).
419:Detroit Historical Society
112:
1184:Walter P. Reuther Library
1169:Walter P. Reuther Library
1134:Sugrue, Thomas J (2005).
448:Walter P. Reuther Library
270:Project funders included
202:New Bethel Baptist Church
1195:Black Bottom Street View
743:The Sprawling of America
687:Encyclopedia of Detroit.
245:Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
51:French colonial settlers
281:In September 2022, the
147:Harmonie Park District.
1164:Paradise Valley Marker
1089:Binelli, Mark (2012).
806:The Michigan Chronicle
661:. The Associated Press
251:projects, such as the
226:Detroit Public Library
153:from the 1930s-1950s.
122:
1218:42.34056°N 83.04083°W
832:www.michiganradio.org
316:, the founder of the
236:of Paradise Valley.
204:on Hastings Street.
120:
589:. February 26, 2017.
560:on February 15, 2013
387:United States portal
304:, professional boxer
298:, professional boxer
1223:42.34056; -83.04083
1214: /
858:www.michmarkers.com
196:, father of singer
1013:Detroit Free Press
987:Detroit Free Press
961:The Michigan Daily
913:Detroit Free Press
704:Detroit Free Press
622:on January 4, 2009
587:Detroit Free Press
442:MacDonald, Cathy.
302:Sugar Ray Robinson
123:
34:, and bisected by
1102:978-0-8050-9229-5
659:The Seattle Times
454:on August 3, 2014
1264:
1252:Music of Detroit
1229:
1228:
1226:
1225:
1224:
1219:
1215:
1212:
1211:
1210:
1207:
1131:
1106:
1076:
1075:
1073:
1071:
1065:The Detroit News
1056:
1050:
1049:
1047:
1045:
1030:
1024:
1023:
1021:
1019:
1004:
998:
997:
995:
993:
978:
972:
971:
969:
967:
952:
946:
945:
930:
924:
923:
921:
919:
905:
899:
898:
896:
894:
880:
874:
873:
871:
869:
864:on June 24, 2021
860:. Archived from
850:
844:
843:
841:
839:
834:. March 17, 2015
824:
818:
817:
815:
813:
798:
792:
791:
775:
769:
768:
765:The Detroit News
756:
747:
746:
735:
729:
728:
721:
715:
714:
712:
710:
696:
690:
680:
671:
670:
668:
666:
650:
644:
638:
632:
631:
629:
627:
618:. Archived from
612:
606:
600:
591:
590:
579:
570:
569:
567:
565:
556:. Archived from
553:The Detroit News
543:
534:
533:
515:
476:
470:
464:
463:
461:
459:
450:. Archived from
439:
430:
429:
427:
425:
411:
389:
384:
383:
382:
375:
370:
369:
368:
190:Paradise Theatre
47:African-American
1272:
1271:
1267:
1266:
1265:
1263:
1262:
1261:
1232:
1231:
1222:
1220:
1216:
1213:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1201:
1200:
1155:
1128:
1103:
1085:
1080:
1079:
1069:
1067:
1057:
1053:
1043:
1041:
1038:City of Detroit
1032:
1031:
1027:
1017:
1015:
1005:
1001:
991:
989:
979:
975:
965:
963:
953:
949:
932:
931:
927:
917:
915:
907:
906:
902:
892:
890:
882:
881:
877:
867:
865:
852:
851:
847:
837:
835:
826:
825:
821:
811:
809:
800:
799:
795:
776:
772:
757:
750:
736:
732:
723:
722:
718:
708:
706:
698:
697:
693:
681:
674:
664:
662:
651:
647:
639:
635:
625:
623:
614:
613:
609:
601:
594:
581:
580:
573:
563:
561:
544:
537:
530:
516:
479:
471:
467:
457:
455:
440:
433:
423:
421:
413:
412:
408:
403:
385:
380:
378:
373:Michigan portal
371:
366:
364:
361:
346:Stephen M. Ross
324:Elijah Muhammad
318:Nation of Islam
292:
272:Stephen M. Ross
198:Aretha Franklin
166:Ella Fitzgerald
151:Detroit's music
139:Great Migration
115:
106:
59:Great Migration
40:Grand Boulevard
17:
12:
11:
5:
1270:
1260:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1198:
1197:
1192:
1186:
1177:
1172:
1166:
1161:
1154:
1153:External links
1151:
1150:
1149:
1147:978-0691121864
1132:
1126:
1107:
1101:
1084:
1081:
1078:
1077:
1051:
1040:. June 9, 2023
1025:
1007:Reindl, J. C.
999:
973:
947:
925:
900:
875:
845:
819:
808:. May 24, 2019
793:
770:
748:
730:
716:
691:
672:
645:
633:
607:
592:
571:
535:
529:978-0691121864
528:
477:
465:
431:
405:
404:
402:
399:
398:
397:
391:
390:
376:
360:
357:
356:
355:
349:
343:
333:
327:
321:
311:
305:
299:
291:
290:Notable people
288:
257:Jeffries Homes
249:public housing
241:Lafayette Park
194:C. L. Franklin
186:Orchestra Hall
174:Billy Eckstine
170:Duke Ellington
158:Billie Holiday
114:
111:
105:
102:
94:slum clearance
36:Gratiot Avenue
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1269:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1239:
1237:
1230:
1227:
1196:
1193:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1156:
1148:
1144:
1140:
1138:
1133:
1129:
1127:9780814329146
1123:
1119:
1115:
1114:
1108:
1104:
1098:
1094:
1093:
1087:
1086:
1070:September 21,
1066:
1062:
1055:
1039:
1035:
1029:
1014:
1010:
1003:
988:
984:
977:
962:
958:
951:
943:
939:
935:
929:
914:
910:
904:
889:
885:
879:
863:
859:
855:
849:
833:
829:
823:
807:
803:
797:
789:
788:Bloomberg.com
785:
783:
774:
766:
762:
755:
753:
744:
740:
734:
726:
720:
705:
701:
695:
688:
685:
679:
677:
665:September 16,
660:
656:
649:
642:
637:
626:September 16,
621:
617:
611:
604:
599:
597:
588:
584:
578:
576:
559:
555:
554:
549:
542:
540:
531:
525:
521:
514:
512:
510:
508:
506:
504:
502:
500:
498:
496:
494:
492:
490:
488:
486:
484:
482:
474:
469:
458:September 29,
453:
449:
445:
438:
436:
420:
416:
410:
406:
396:
393:
392:
388:
377:
374:
363:
353:
352:Coleman Young
350:
347:
344:
341:
337:
334:
331:
328:
325:
322:
319:
315:
314:Fard Muhammad
312:
309:
308:Robert Hayden
306:
303:
300:
297:
294:
293:
287:
284:
279:
277:
273:
267:
265:
260:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
237:
234:
229:
227:
223:
218:
214:
209:
205:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
154:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
135:Coleman Young
131:
129:
119:
110:
101:
99:
95:
90:
88:
84:
83:urban poverty
79:
77:
73:
69:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
43:
41:
37:
33:
32:Detroit River
29:
25:
21:
1199:
1135:
1112:
1091:
1083:Bibliography
1068:. Retrieved
1064:
1054:
1042:. Retrieved
1037:
1028:
1016:. Retrieved
1012:
1002:
992:November 11,
990:. Retrieved
986:
976:
966:November 14,
964:. Retrieved
960:
950:
937:
928:
918:November 15,
916:. Retrieved
912:
903:
893:November 15,
891:. Retrieved
887:
878:
868:November 15,
866:. Retrieved
862:the original
857:
848:
838:November 14,
836:. Retrieved
831:
822:
812:November 14,
810:. Retrieved
805:
796:
787:
781:
773:
764:
742:
739:Wade Goodwyn
733:
719:
709:November 14,
707:. Retrieved
703:
694:
686:
663:. Retrieved
658:
648:
636:
624:. Retrieved
620:the original
616:"Archive.ph"
610:
586:
562:. Retrieved
558:the original
551:
519:
468:
456:. Retrieved
452:the original
447:
424:November 15,
422:. Retrieved
418:
409:
280:
268:
261:
238:
230:
213:World War II
210:
206:
189:
178:Pearl Bailey
155:
146:
132:
124:
107:
91:
80:
44:
20:Black Bottom
19:
18:
1221: /
1116:. Detroit:
564:January 15,
330:Della Reese
276:Dan Gilbert
192:. Reverend
182:Count Basie
128:World War I
28:Grand Trunk
1236:Categories
1209:83°02′27″W
1206:42°20′26″N
401:References
336:Mary Wells
264:Ford Field
211:Following
188:was named
55:bottomland
1044:March 19,
1018:March 19,
296:Joe Louis
162:Sam Cooke
104:Geography
63:redlining
942:Archived
641:Woodford
603:Woodford
359:See also
87:New Deal
72:Big Band
1182:at the
473:Binelli
113:History
24:Detroit
1145:
1124:
1099:
526:
342:singer
340:Motown
180:, and
74:, and
217:slums
98:I-375
68:blues
1143:ISBN
1122:ISBN
1097:ISBN
1072:2022
1046:2024
1020:2024
994:2019
968:2019
920:2019
895:2019
870:2019
840:2019
814:2019
711:2019
667:2022
628:2023
566:2013
524:ISBN
460:2015
426:2019
274:and
231:The
76:jazz
1238::
1120:.
1063:.
1036:.
1011:.
985:.
959:.
940:.
936:.
911:.
886:.
856:.
830:.
804:.
786:.
763:.
751:^
702:.
675:^
657:.
595:^
585:.
574:^
550:.
538:^
480:^
446:.
434:^
417:.
338:,
176:,
172:,
168:,
164:,
160:,
78:.
70:,
1139:.
1130:.
1105:.
1074:.
1048:.
1022:.
996:.
970:.
922:.
897:.
872:.
842:.
816:.
790:.
784:"
767:.
727:.
713:.
669:.
630:.
568:.
532:.
462:.
428:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
