I know that Detroit has a rich history, but I didn’t know how rich. This past Tuesday, we were able to go on a tour downtown Detroit and hear about the history of the statues and landmarks that we visited. I was so surprised to learn so much about my own hometown in as little as 2 hours. We learned the story behind several street names in Detroit that I’m familiar with, such as Livernois. We learned about Second Baptist Church and why African Americans decided to name their church that (and how that name is related to First Baptist Church). We also learned about Michigania and the intricate details of the statue and why it was so important. Michigania played a vital role in the civil rights movement which is why she is at the top of the statue.
The most interesting history lesson was the story of how many of the Coney Islands, such as Leo’s Coney Island, Kerby’s Coney Island, American Coney Island, and Lafayette Coney Island were all started by members of the same family. We were shown where slaves used to be hidden after they had escaped. We even stood on the same grounds of a riot that took place in which two runaway slaves were imprisoned before they escaped to Canada.
After learning about Detroit Tuesday, it made me want to know even more. Fortunately, this year, everyone interning for DCBRP will be reading and learning much more about the history of this amazing city together. Our tour guide, Jamon Jordan, asked us to pass on the information that we learned to our family and friends. Detroit can have a bad reputation to those who only hear about things on the news, or those who just don’t know about all of the ways Detroit has positively influenced the nation. Therefore, those who do know more about Detroit’s story should be encouraged to share – I know I am!
