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Rodney L. Arroyo, FAICP
With a background in city planning and photography, it is not surprising that I am fascinated by the City of Detroit, ranging from its origins and settlements in the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s, rapid growth and change from the 1920s through the 1940s, urban renewal, and freeway construction in the 1950s and 1960s, resurgence in the 2010s and 2020s, and much more.
Jazz and Blues Clubs in Detroit (1920 through 1960)
The map below has a focus in and around Paradise Valley, but also includes Black Bottom, the Medical Center / Brush Park area, Sugar Hill, and some key locations farther from the core study area.
Black-owned Businesses in Paradise Valley, Black Bottom, Medical Center District, and Cultural Center District
I am currently documenting Black-owned businesses in Detroit during its population peak, in the early 1950s, prior to the construction of the Interstate Highway System and substantial urban renewal and development projects in Black Bottom, Paradise Valley, the Medical Center District, and the Cultural Center District. I look forward to sharing this important map and associated findings later in 2024.