The Metro: Black Bottom Archives celebrate 10 years

Looking back on a decade of gathering and sharing oral histories from Detroit’s Black Bottom neighborhood.

A view of St. Antoine Street at Winder near Detroit's Black Bottom neighborhood. In view are a number of residential buildings, as well as Abe's Market.

A view of St. Antoine Street at Winder near Detroit's Black Bottom neighborhood. In view are a number of residential buildings, as well as Abe's Market.

Photo credit: Edward Stanton, courtesy of Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple PodcastsSpotifyNPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Many Black Americans moved to Detroit during the Great Migration. But, due to discriminatory housing policies, Detroit’s Black Bottom neighborhood was one of only a handful of areas where African Americans could live in the city. While it quickly became a vibrant neighborhood, it was later razed to make way for the construction of the Interstate 75 freeway, forcing residents to relocate.

Marcia Black and Lex Draper Garcia Bey from Black Bottom Archives joined The Metro on Tuesday to discuss the 10-year anniversary of the archive that has documented the history of Detroit’s Black Bottom.

Hear more stories from The Metro on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

Tomorrow’s question:

“Should the U.S. government get rid of diversity, equity and inclusion?”

Join the conversation by calling 313-577-1019 or leaving us an Open Mic message on the WDET app. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »

Authors