© 2026 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Officials Mull Marker For Razed Detroit Neighborhood

Detroit
Amanda Barberena
/
WKAR File Photo

History officials are seeking public input on a potential marker for Detroit's former Black Bottom neighborhood.

The Detroit Historical Society's Black Historic Sites Committee plans to host Michigan History Center representatives Monday evening for a two-hour discussion.

The Michigan Historical Commission wants ideas about what the marker would say and where one would be placed.

Black Bottom was a predominantly black neighborhood demolished in the 1960s for a freeway and mixed-income development, Lafayette Park.

Once home to an Eastern European Jewish community, it and the neighboring Paradise Valley district became a hub of black-owned businesses and featured a nationally known music scene.

The area suffered economic decline and was razed to combat what the city then called "urban blight."

Black Bottom was named for the area's native rich and marshy soils.

With federal funding eliminated, WKAR relies more than ever on community support to sustain essential services that remain freely available to everyone in mid-Michigan. Your support helps shape what comes next for public media in our region. The best way to support WKAR is by becoming a sustaining member today or by upgrading your current gift. Support WKAR TV Here | Support WKAR Radio Here.