Black Bottom, Detroit facts for kids

Black Bottom was a lively neighborhood in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It was a special place where many African Americans lived and built a strong community. People sometimes confuse it with another nearby area called Paradise Valley, but they were often seen as separate places.

The name "Black Bottom" might sound like it refers to the African-American community, but it actually came from the land itself! Early French settlers named it for the dark, rich soil found there, which was great for farming. This area was like a "bottomland" near a river.

Before World War I, many immigrants from Eastern Europe, especially Jewish families, lived in Black Bottom. But then, during the Great Migration, many African Americans moved from the southern United States to Detroit. Black Bottom quickly became a vibrant center for the black community. From the 1930s to the 1950s, it was famous for its amazing music scene, especially Blues, Big Band, and Jazz.

Even though Black Bottom was full of culture and music, many residents faced challenges like poverty. Most people worked in factories, especially car factories. Some black business owners and church leaders became successful, but they often moved to wealthier parts of Detroit. For most black residents, unfair housing rules like redlining made it hard to get good homes. They were often stuck in older, less-maintained houses in Black Bottom.

In the early 1960s, the city decided to tear down Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. This was part of a plan called "slum clearance" to build a new highway, I-375. The city promised new affordable homes, but these homes were often too expensive or not open to black residents. The thriving businesses of Black Bottom were also destroyed. Today, Black Bottom is gone, but it remains a powerful symbol of how a community can be strong and creative even when facing unfair challenges.

A Look Back: Black Bottom's Story

The area of Black Bottom was once home to a small river called the Savoyard. This river often flooded, leaving behind rich, dark soil. This is why early French settlers called the area "Black Bottom."

The main streets for businesses were Hastings and St. Antoine. Nearby, an area called Paradise Valley became famous for its nightclubs. Many legendary Blues, Big Band, and Jazz artists performed there. Think of stars like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington! The city's Orchestra Hall was even renamed "Paradise Theatre" for a while. Famous preacher C. L. Franklin, father of singer Aretha Franklin, had his church on Hastings Street. Paradise Valley also had the Gotham Hotel, which was known as one of the best hotels for African Americans in the world. This was important because, at the time, black travelers often couldn't stay in nice hotels.

Black Bottom's business area was very busy. It had many black-owned doctor's offices, hospitals, drug stores, and other services. It was like a small, self-sufficient city within Detroit. Before World War I, many European immigrants lived on Hastings Street. They built the houses that later became home to many black families during the Great Migration. These homes were often old and not as nice as the new houses being built for white families in the suburbs.

For a while, European immigrants and black residents lived together in Black Bottom. Coleman Young, who later became Detroit's first black mayor, moved there in 1923. He remembered his neighbors being Italian, Syrian, German, and Jewish. He loved the diverse neighborhood. However, as more black families moved to Detroit, some white residents felt threatened. They refused to sell homes to black families and pushed them into specific areas. Policies like redlining also created and kept racial divisions in the city. By the 1940s, Black Bottom was mostly settled by African Americans. They built a strong community with their own businesses, churches, and nightclubs.

Even with all the success, Black Bottom was still the poorest part of Detroit. Many homes were crowded, sometimes with three or four families living in one house. The name "Paradise Valley" was a bit ironic because it represented hopes that were often not met. Overcrowding, sickness, and crime were common problems. The houses were also very old and often falling apart. Most black residents couldn't afford to fix them because of unfair job practices and high housing costs. This led to unfair ideas that the people living there were lazy or dirty.

In the 1950s, new highways were built across the country. These highways, like the Chrysler Freeway, cut right through Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. Hastings Street, where many businesses were, was destroyed. By 1950, hundreds of homes and businesses were taken down for just one highway project. There are now plans to turn I-375 back into a regular street, which has caused a lot of discussion because of the history of displacement.

After World War II, many buildings in Black Bottom were old and in bad shape. The city government called these areas "slums." They used highway projects to clear out these areas. Then, they planned more projects to completely tear down Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. The city wanted to build new hospitals, city buildings, and public housing. Before the demolition, photographers took about 2,000 pictures of every building. These photos show that the homes looked much neater than the government described them. These pictures, which were never meant to be public, are now kept at the Detroit Public Library.

Today, the area where Black Bottom once stood looks completely different. The city replaced it with new housing projects like Lafayette Park, designed by famous architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Many former residents of Black Bottom were moved to public housing projects like Brewster-Douglass and Jeffries Homes, which no longer exist today. Recently, the University of Michigan announced plans for a new project in the area, which has also caused debate.

In 2000, the last three buildings of Paradise Valley were torn down. Today, a special sign near Ford Field is the only physical reminder of the once-lively black community. It's a small sign compared to the big buildings around it. An architect named Emily Kutil is working on a project called "Black Bottom Street View." She plans to use old photos and stories from former residents to create a virtual version of the neighborhood online.

Where Was Black Bottom?

The main business area of Black Bottom was located between Vernor, John R., Madison, and Hastings streets. Gratiot Avenue also ran through this busy area. It had hotels, restaurants, music stores, bowling alleys, shops, and grocery stores. There were 17 nightclubs in the business district! Today, the I-375 highway goes right over where Hastings Avenue used to be.

Famous People From Black Bottom

• Wallace Fard Muhammad
• Elijah Muhammad
• Della Reese
• Joe Louis
• Sugar Ray Robinson
• Robert Hayden
• Stephen M. Ross
• Mary Wells

Images for kids

• 

  Lafayette Park, built where Black Bottom once stood.

See also

In Spanish: Black Bottom (Detroit) para niños