Located along the Detroit River between Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair -- "détroit"
is French for "strait" -- the city is the seat of Wayne County and the
center of a tri-county industrial zone, one of the most significant in the
American Rust Belt. As such, "Detroit" is sometimes used as shorthand for
the Metro Detroit region and some residents in areas surrounding the city
will describe themselves to outsiders as "Detroiters."
Detroit and its suburbs constitute a manufacturing powerhouse, most notably
as home to the American automobile industry and the Big Three auto companies.
General Motors is based in Detroit, Ford Motor Company in nearby Dearborn,
and one of the two world headquarters for DaimlerChrysler in Auburn Hills (the
other is in Stuttgart, Germany). But the auto industry is far more than the
Big Three. Dotting the Detroit landscape are countless offices and plants in
the automotive support business: parts, supplies, electronics, design. It is
not uncommon in Detroit to hear radio ads or to spy billboards in which
multimillion-dollar auto corporations make insider sales pitches to one
another. But there's a flip side to the automotive dominance: Because of its
almost singular dependence on the auto industry, Detroit is more acutely
vulnerable to economic cycles than most large cities.
Kmart Corporation, Kelly Services, Lear Corporation, Delphi and Visteon are
among other Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the Detroit metro area,
which is also home to the national pizza chains Domino's and Little Caesars.
Detroit is renowned for its musical heritage, a long and rich history that
includes Motown Records, which produced such hometown stars as Stevie Wonder,
Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, the Temptations and the Four Tops.
Detroit is also often regarded as the quintessential rock 'n roll town. In
both attendance and revenue, suburban concert houses such as Pine Knob (now
DTE Energy Music Theatre) and the Palace consistently outpace venues in
larger cities. The area's famously avid rock fans have been celebrated in
film and in song (e.g., Kiss' "Detroit Rock City"), and bands undertaking
live albums often opt to record in front of Detroit's dependably
enthusiastic crowds.
Detroit's influence on popular music cannot be overstated. Contemporary pop
artists such as Eminem, Kid Rock and the White Stripes are part of a long
lineage of Detroit stars that includes Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Bob Seger,
Ted Nugent, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, George Clinton and Mitch Ryder. The MC5
is often credited for laying the foundation of heavy metal, the Stooges are
considered the godfathers of punk rock, and Detroit was the birthplace of
techno music in the mid-1980s.
Long a symbol of Rust Belt urban blight, Detroit has endured a painful
decline over several decades. As population plummeted, particularly
following the 1967 race riot that spurred many residents to leave for the
suburbs, large numbers of buildings and homes were abandoned, remaining for
years in states of decay. The city's crime rate led the nation. During
recent urban renewal, several abandoned skyscrapers and large buildings were
demolished or renovated, large numbers of old houses were torn down for new
housing developments and an expedited procedure was established to remove
abandoned homes near schools. While Detroit's rate of violent and property
crime has fallen recently, the numbers are still among the highest in the
country as is the murder rate, which is inextricably tied to the city's drug
trade.
Devil's Night, on the evening before Halloween, saw large numbers of arsons
each year, often involving abandoned houses. The Angel's Night campaign,
launched in the late 1990s, draws thousands of volunteers to patrol the
streets during Halloween week. The effort has largely squelched Devil's
Night arson: In 2002, there were just 110 fires during the Oct. 29-31 period,
according to city officials, representing a 30 percent decline in total
fires and a 41 percent decline in suspicious fires. In 2003, the three-day
number was 117.
During recent urban renewal, several abandoned skyscrapers and large
buildings have been demolished or renovated, large numbers of old houses
razed for new housing developments, and an expedited procedure established
to remove abandoned homes near schools. Large numbers of abandoned buildings
still remain in numerous blighted areas.
As the city prepares to host a number of major events in coming years,
including the 2005 Baseball All-Star Game and 2006 Super Bowl, it faces the
challenge of cleaning up and improving its image for an international
audience.
The city's crime rate has at various times led the nation. While Detroit's
rate of violent and property crime has fallen in recent years, the numbers
are still among the highest in the country, as is the murder rate, which is
inextricably tied to the city's drug trade.
Widely considered a hot rising political star when he won election in 2001,
Democratic Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been dubbed "America's hip-hop mayor"
because of his fond appreciation for black youth culture. Since taking
office, however, the 34-year-old mayor and his administration have found
themselves dogged by ongoing accusations of scandal and impropriety.
Detroit's major media have relentlessly pursued the stories, including
reports of wild parties involving strippers at the mayoral mansion[2] (http://www.freep.com/news/locway/probe15_20030515.htm),
though the mayor has strongly denied accusations of wrongdoing.
In 2004, following numerous scandals and legal decisions, a court-ordered
reorganization of the Detroit Police Department was underway with
supervision of the FBI.
History
1701 - On July 24, Antoine de Lamothe Cadillac, with his lieutenant Alphonse
de Tonty and a company of 100 men, established a trading post on the Detroit
River under orders from the French King Louis XIV. They named it Fort
Pontchartrain du Détroit at the present site of Detroit, in homage to the
Count of Pontchartrain, the Royal Minister of Marine.
1701 - Ste. Anne de Detroit Catholic Church was the first building built in
Detroit, started within two days of Cadillac's landing.
1760 - Major Robert Rogers and a group of his Roger's Rangers took formal
command of Fort Detroit in the name of Great Britain after the French defeat
in the French and Indian War.
1763 - Chief Pontiac besieged Detroit during Pontiac's Rebellion.
1796 - American control over Detroit was established, 13 years after it was
assigned by treaty to the United States at the end of the American
Revolutionary War.
1805 - On June 11, a fire burned virtually the entire city. The city's motto:
Speramus meliora; resurget cineribus, "We hope for better things, it will
rise from the ashes," dates from this event.
1812 - On August 16, Detroit surrendered without firing a shot to British
army under General Isaac Brock in the War of 1812.
1813 - September: British retreated from Detroit, which served as a base for
the invasion of Canada.
1815 - Detroit became a city.
1837 - Detroit became capital of the State of Michigan (until 1847).
1837 - 1838 Small bands of self-proclaimed "Patriots", some operating from
Detroit, invaded Canada in the Patriot War.
1863 - Anti-draft and race riot in Detroit.
1890 - Reforming mayor Hazen Pingree established vegetable gardens for the
poor, which came to be called Pingree's Potato Patches.
1903 - Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in Detroit.
1929 - Ambassador Bridge construction completed.
1930 - Detroit-Windsor Tunnel construction completed.
1943 - A race riot, spurred by competition among black and white residents
for wartime factory jobs, resulted in 34 deaths.
1950 - Detroit's population reached its height at 1.85 million.
1962 - Jerome Cavanagh was elected mayor, and launched a series of reforms.
1963 - Great March to Freedom.
1967 - On July 23 the 12th Street Riot, one of the worst riots in United
States history, began on 12th Street in the predominantly African American
inner city (43 killed, 342 injured and 1,400 buildings burned).
1968 - "Focus: Hope" project was founded by Fr. William Cunningham.
1973 - Coleman Young was elected Detroit's first black mayor -- a position
he would hold for 20 years.
1992 - On November 5, black motorist Malice Green was beaten to death by
policemen Larry Nevers and Walter Budzyn during a struggle. The officers
were later convicted and sentenced to prison.
1996 - In November, Michigan voters voted to allow the operation of three
casinos in the City of Detroit.
1999 - The Detroit Tigers played their final baseball game in classic Tiger
Stadium, which had opened in 1912. The team relocated to the new Comerica
Park downtown in 2000. The status of Tiger Stadium remains uncertain.
2002 - The Detroit Lions football team began play in the new, state-of-the-art
Ford Field, returning to downtown Detroit after 27 years in suburban Pontiac.
Geography
Detroit is located on the north bank of the Detroit River, in southeastern
Michigan. It lies north of Windsor, Ontario, leading to the saying in
Detroit that Canadians are "our neighbor to the south". Two border crossings
exist: the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. A railroad
tunnel also connects the two countries.
Detroit completely encircles the cities of Hamtramck and Highland Park.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
370.2 km² (142.9 mi²). 359.4 km² (138.8 mi²) of it is land and 10.8 km² (4.2
mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.92% water.
In the satellite photograph, the two large bodies of water are Lake St.
Clair (northernmost) and Lake Erie. Also notice the three systems of roads:
the oldest French roads running perpendicular to the river, radial roads
from a Washington, D.C.-inspired system and true north-south roads from the
Northwest Ordinance township system.
Detroit sits atop a large salt mine.
Culture
Within the entertainment industry, Detroit has been widely regarded as
perhaps the country's strongest per-capita market, particularly in live
music and theater. In 2003, as in most previous years, DTE (formerly Pine
Knob) in the Detroit suburbs, was the No. 1 summer concert venue in the
United States in both attendance and box-office gross, according to Pollstar
and Billboard magazines. Sister arena The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn
Hills, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, typically ranks in the top three, often
ahead of such high-profile venues as New York's Madison Square Garden. Music
has been the dominant feature of Detroit's nightlife since the late 1940s,
and both the city and suburbs are teeming with live-music clubs and bars.
In recent years, Detroit has assumed a kind of gritty, hip cachet around the
world, thanks largely to such modern ambassadors as the White Stripes,
techno music, Eminem and the film "8 Mile", along with the nostalgic revival
for '60s rock acts the Stooges and MC5. Sales of Detroit fashions and
memorabilia have surged, with brands such as Made in Detroit[4] (http://www.madeindetroit.com)
and Pure Detroit[5] (http://www.puredetroit.com) enjoying overseas success.
International documentarians, particularly British and French, have
increasingly trained their cameras on Detroit, exploring the city's cultural
heritage and playing up its status as a working-class creative hotbed. [6] (http://www.freep.com/entertainment/music/music10_20011010.htm)
The Detroit Institute of Arts is considered to house one of the most
prominent American collections outside New York, and features showcase
pieces by Diego Rivera, Picasso and Van Gogh along with such Detroit artists
as Charles McGee.
Detroit is home to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Detroit Opera
House. Major theaters include the Fox Theater, Masonic Temple Theater,
Fisher Theater, State Theater, the Music Hall, and the Detroit Repertory
Theatre.
Major parks include Belle Isle, Palmer Park, Rouge Park, Chene Park. Other
city recreational facilities include municipal golf courses (William Rogell,
Rouge, Belle Isle, Palmer Park), Northwest Activities Center, Detroit Zoo,
Belle Isle Zoo, Belle Isle Aquarium.
Other cultural centers include the Motown Historical Museum, Detroit
Historical Museum, Museum of African American History, Detroit Science
Center, Tuskegee Airmen Museum, Historic Fort Wayne, Dossin Great Lakes
Museum and the Belle Isle Conservatory.
Folklore
Detroit is said to be home to the Nain Rouge, the red dwarf who is said to
both attack people and more importantly be a harbinger of doom for the city.
Neighborhoods
Current and historic neighborhoods in Detroit include: Black Bottom,
Corktown, Chaldean Town, Mexicantown, Poletown, Greektown, Indian Village,
New Center, Old Redford, Palmer Woods, Rosedale Park, Warrendale,
Springwells, and Del Ray.
Demographics
Detroit's population more than doubled during the first half of the 20th
century, thanks largely to a massive influx of Southern migrants -- both
white and black -- who came to the area for the burgeoning automobile
industry jobs. Detroit-area residents with Southern blood possibly comprise
a majority of the region's population; they most certainly do in sectors
such as Downriver and Macomb County, where newcomers established communities
upon their arrival. Traces of the Southern accent can still be heard in
these areas, mingling with the more nasal Midwest accent to create a
distinctive pattern of speech.
Also contributing to the Detroit accent is the influence of Canadians next
door, whose flat vowels have increasingly seeped into the speech of
Michiganders. ("Car" nearly becomes "care"; "pop" becomes "pap.") Around
Detroit, the old French influence is found prominently in place names ("Gratiot,"
"Beaubien," "Lafayette"), but there are few genealogical traces of those
early settlers among contemporary Detroiters.
Detroit's ethnic groups are primarily those who made their way from New York
in the early 20th century, including Poles, Irish and Greeks. Detroit is
home to a large Arab American population and nearby Dearborn is home to the
country's largest population of Arabs.
While less prevalent than in the 1970s and 1980s, perceptions of racial
segregation continue to provoke criticism and soul-searching in the Detroit
area. 8 Mile Road, the boundary between the city and suburban Oakland County,
is more than a line on a map; it is often held up by politicians and
sociologists as a symbolic dividing wall between blacks and whites. On the
east side, the aptly (if unintentionally) named Alter Road separates Detroit
from affluent Grosse Pointe. Detroit is more than four-fifths African-American,
while nearby Livonia (pop. 100,545) has been described in news reports as "the
whitest American city" since the 2000 census showed its population to be 97
percent white.
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 951,270 people, 336,428 households, and
218,341 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,646.7/km²
(6,855.1/mi²). There are 375,096 housing units at an average density of
1,043.6/km² (2,703.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 12.26% White,
81.55% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 0.03% Pacific
Islander, 2.54% from other races, and 2.32% from two or more races. 4.96% of
the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 336,428 households out of which 33.9% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 26.7% are married couples living together, 31.6%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% are
non-families. 29.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.2%
have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average
household size is 2.77 and the average family size is 3.45.
In the city the population is spread out with 31.1% under the age of 18,
9.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100
females there are 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $29,526, and the median
income for a family is $33,853. Males have a median income of $33,381 versus
$26,749 for females. The per capita income for the city is $14,717. 26.1% of
the population and 21.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 34.5% are under the age of 18 and 18.6% are
65 or older.
Economy
Major industries include motor vehicles, automotive manufacturing support
(including parts and supplies), advertising, transportation, computer
software and casino gambling.
In addition to property tax, the city levies an income tax of 2.65% on
residents, 1.325% on non-residents, and 1.6% on corporations.
Law and government
The city is run by the mayor and a nine-member city council, elected
at-large on a nonpartisan ballot. Municipal elections are held every year
congruent to 1 modulo 4 (e.g., 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, ...). The
current mayor is Kwame Kilpatrick; earlier mayors are listed here.
Colleges and universities
Wayne State University
University of Detroit-Mercy
Marygrove College
Lewis College of Business
College for Creative Studies
Sporting teams
Detroit Red Wings, NHL
Detroit Tigers, MLB
Detroit Lions, NFL
Detroit Shock, WNBA
Detroit Pistons, NBA
Detroit Rockers, Major Indoor Soccer League
Detroit Demolition, National Women's Football Association
The Detroit International Marathon course crosses the border into Canada on
the Ambassador Bridge and returns to America through a tunnel.
On December 13, 2003 a world record was set when the largest crowd in
basketball history (amateur or professional) packed the Lions' home stadium,
Ford Field, to watch Michigan State University play the University of
Kentucky. Kentucky won 79-74 in front of 78,129 fans.
Airports
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (located in Romulus, Michigan)
Detroit City Airport, no current commercial passenger service
Festivals
North American International Auto Show (January)
Downtown Hoedown country music festival (April)
Movement electronic music festival (May)
Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival (June-July)
Comerica Tastefest (July)
Detroit Thunder Fest hydroplane race (July)
Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival (September)
Notable persons of Detroit
Aaliyah
Mitch Albom
Nelson Algren
Tim Allen
Juan Atkins
Anita Baker
Hank Ballard
Steve Ballmer
Eric Bischoff
James Blanchard
Avery Brundage
Jerry Bruckheimer
Ellen Burstyn
Sonny Bono
Christie Brinkley
Ralph J. Bunche
Kenny Burrell
Donald Byrd
Ben Carson
Lewis Cass
Ty Cobb
Alice Cooper
John Conyers
Francis Ford Coppola
Roger Corman
Dave Coulier
Wally Cox
Marshall Crenshaw
Pam Dawber
Dave DeBusschere
John De Lorean
Dodge Brothers (John and Horace)
Lamont Dozier
Joe Dumars
William C. Durant
Wayne Dyer
Eminem (Marshall Mathers)
Jeffrey Eugenides
Tommy Flanagan
Edsel Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford II
Aretha Franklin
Glenn Frey
Kirk Gibson
Marvin Gaye
Berry Gordy
The Green Hornet
David Alan Grier
Edgar Guest
Bill Haley
Fred Hammond
Tom Hayden
Thomas Hearns
Joe Henderson
Jimmy Hoffa
Brian Holland
Edward Holland Jr.
John Lee Hooker
Gordie Howe
Ernie Hudson
Kim Hunter
Mike Ilitch
Milt Jackson
James Jamerson
Darren James
Albert Kahn
Jackie Kallen
Richard Karn
Casey Kasem
William Kienzle
Michael Kinsley
Sebastian S. Kresge
Neil LaBute
Tim LaHaye
Yusef Lateef
Piper Laurie
Elmore Leonard
Charles Lindbergh
James Lipton
The Lone Ranger
Joe Louis
Alexander Macomb
Madonna
Greg Mathis
Elijah McCoy
Ed McMahon
Scott McNealy
Martin Milner
John N. Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Derrick May
Oscar Mayer
Harry Morgan
Wallace Fard Muhammad
Michael Moriarty
Frank Murphy
Hal Newhouser
Ted Nugent
Joyce Carol Oates
James O'Barr
Ray Parker Jr.
George Peppard
Corrado Parducci
Rosa Parks
Freda Payne
Iggy Pop
Gilda Radner
Sam Raimi
Della Reese
Martha Reeves
Walter Reuther
Smokey Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson
Kid Rock (Bob Ritchie)
Mitt Romney
Wirt C. Rowland
Diana Ross
Mitch Ryder
Soupy Sales
Barry Sanders
George C. Scott
Bob Seger
Tom Selleck
Betty Shabazz
Tom Sizemore
Tom Skerritt
Sgt. Slaughter
Bernhardt Stroh
J. D. Souther
Danny Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Marlo Thomas
Lily Tomlin
Uncle Kracker (Matt Shafer)
Courtney B. Vance
James Vernor
Robert Wagner
Ben Wallace
Don Was
Dinah Washington
Chris Webber
The White Stripes (Jack and Meg White)
Margaret Whiting
Jackie Wilson
John Witherspoon
The Winans family
Stevie Wonder
Minoru Yamasaki
Coleman Young
Detroit in literature
Detroit (and its suburbs) is the setting for a number of novels and short
story collections, including:
Harriette Arnow, The Dollmaker 1954
Jim Ray Daniels, Detroit Tales 2003
Jeffrey Eugenides, The Virgin Suicides 1993
Arthur Hailey, Wheels 1971
William X. Kienzle, The Rosary Murders 1979
Elmore Leonard, City Primeval: Detroit at High Noon 1980
Joyce Carol Oates, Them 1968
Harold Robbins, The Betsy 1971
Detroit in the movies
Detroit is a setting and/or filming location for several Hollywood feature
films including:
8 Mile, Curtis Hanson. 2002. Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi
Phifer.
Action Jackson, Craig R. Baxley. 1988. Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson,
Sharon Stone.
Beverly Hills Cop, Martin Brest. 1984. Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, Ronny
Cox.
The Betsy, Daniel Petrie. 1978. Laurence Olivier, Robert Duvall, Katherine
Ross, Tommy Lee Jones.
Blue Collar, Paul Schrader. 1978. Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, Yaphet
Kotto.
Crossing the Bridge, Mike Binder. 1992. Josh Charles, Jason Gedrick, Stephen
Baldwin.
The Crow, Alex Proyas. 1994. Brandon Lee, Rochelle Davis, Ernie Hudson.
Detroit 9000, Arthur Marks. 1973. Hari Rhodes, Alex Rocco.
Evil Dead, Sam Raimi. 1981. Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss.
Grosse Pointe Blank, George Armitage 1997. John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Alan
Arkin, Dan Aykroyd, Joan Cusack, Hank Azaria, K. Todd Freeman, Jeremy Piven.
Hoffa, Danny DeVito. 1992. Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Armand Assante.
Jimmy B. & Andre (TV), Guy Green. 1980. Alex Karras, Curtis Yates.
Mickey One, Arthur Penn. 1965. Warren Beatty.
Out of Sight, Steven Soderbergh. 1998. George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving
Rhames.
Polish Wedding, Theresa Connelly. 1998. Claire Danes, Lena Olin, Gabriel
Byrne.
Presumed Innocent, Alan J. Pakula. 1990. Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, Raul
Julia.
Private Parts, Betty Thomas. 1997. Howard Stern, Robin Quivers, Mary
McCormack.
Renaissance Man, Penny Marshall. 1994. Danny DeVito, Gregory Hines.
The Rosary Murders, Fred Walton. 1987. Donald Sutherland, Charles Durning.
RoboCop, Paul Verhoeven. 1987. Peter Weller, Nancy Allen.
Scarecrow, Jerry Schatzberg. 1973. Gene Hackman, Al Pacino.
Tiger Town (TV), Alan Shapiro. 1983. Roy Scheider, Justin Henry.
Zebrahead, Anthony Drazan. 1992. Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan, N'Bushe
Wright.
Sister cities
Detroit has several sister cities, including Toyota, Japan; Minsk, Belarus;
Chongqing, People's Republic of China; Nassau, Bahamas and Kitwe, Zambia.
