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In-depth reporting on Michigan's largest city and surrounding communities, including deep dives into the big changes afoot in Detroit, its schools, neighborhoods, institutions and city hall.
Articles
Inside Detroit’s election: Black women’s stories of the count and the mayhem
Hear firsthand accounts from the battlefield as told by five Detroit election workers who sought to protect the city’s vote and clapped back at pro-Trump activists who cried fraud and tried to derail the count.
Detroit’s younger, older activists divided on current protest movement
Three Detroiters who marched and protested in the 1960s and '70s give their thoughts on Detroit Will Breathe and the Black Lives Matter activists fighting for social change.
Militias, Trump, civil war fears prompt gun sales spike for Black Michiganders
Gun sales are skyrocketing this year, and African Americans are leading the way. Fears of civil unrest after the election play no small part in the cause. ‘Every African American should be on alert,’ one resident says.
Poll: 50 percent in Michigan back Black Lives Matter on police brutality
A Michigan political poll found likely voters fairly split on Black Lives Matter efforts on police reform but the movement already is shaping debates in many areas of public life.
Detroit museum renowned for investing in Black art. Staff says it’s all show.
The Detroit Institute of Arts has made major strides in showcasing African-American art and in its outreach to Black Detroiters. Is that progress enough to withstand charges of institutional racism and a ‘toxic’ workplace?
In solidarity: Indigenous communities join Detroit’s Black Lives Matter movement
In one powerful image, a Detroit photographer captures the moment of sweeping cultural change that is underway.
Detroit unemployment rate ‘alarmingly’ high amid coronavirus
Federal monthly data and three economic surveys show that many Detroit workers aren’t returning to work at a rate higher than most of the state and nation. It’s too soon to gauge permanent job loss, a U-M survey contends.
Detroit’s Cass Tech was named for a slave owner. Should this name change too?
There is a national movement underway to change the names of and topple markers and statues with a slave-holding past. A Michigan county, village and a beloved Detroit institution bear the name of Lewis Cass, bringing the issue to the forefront here.
Reaching out to black people to discuss race? There’s a good and bad way.
Black Americans are noticing a new trend: Their white peers are starting to reach out as allies against racism. Checking in on a friend will probably be appreciated, but asking black people for resources to learn about systemic racism demands an emotional toll from someone who likely still is processing trauma.
What police have learned, or not, about how to defuse mass protests
Heated demonstrations against police violence, and police reaction to them, have created tense moments and fatal encounters between police and protesters. Here are some proven tactics for police to turn down the temperature.
Coronavirus pandemic slams Detroit economy, protesters want change
Detroiters are experiencing the highest unemployment rates of the century. Millenials and Gen Z, hit hardest by massive unemployment, have looped economic relief into their demands against police brutality as protests in support of George Floyd continue.
How to be an ally in Michigan protests against injustice, police brutality
Organizers of Detroit protests and longtime activists give newcomers and well-meaning allies advice. Listen, participate in protests, and advocate for policy change, say local leaders.
Protests continue in Detroit more than a week after George Floyd’s death
The killing of George Floyd, a black man, by a white policeman in Minneapolis is the catalyst for nationwide protests in at least 150 cities, suburbs and small towns. Police brutality is only part of what draws Detroit protesters. Gen Z and Millennial organizers are advocating for something new.
Grand Rapids, this is us: A dispatch from unrest in a segregated city
A Michigan Radio reporter surveys the destruction of Grand Rapids during protests on Saturday. Despite what city leaders insist, he says outsiders didn’t cause all the damage. It came from within.
White cops in black communities underscore tension in Michigan protests
Police departments in several Michigan cities have a lower share of African-American officers than the communities they serve, leading to some scars that have yet to heal.
Pain, strength and agitation underlie Detroit protests against police brutality
What happened in Detroit and the streets of at least 35 other cities reflects the raw state of urban America. Months of dealing with a killer virus. Surging economic despair. Then another viral video emerged of a Black man killed while being arrested by a white policeman in Minneapolis.
Detroit population continues to decline, according to Census estimate
The upcoming count will offer a better understanding of Detroit’s demographic changes but the state's largest city is grappling with a low response rate for Census 2020.
Announcing BridgeDetroit: A new civic information service for Michigan’s largest city
At a time when credible news has never been more important, a new team of journalists aims to respond to Detroiters’ most crucial information needs.
Authentically Detroit podcast celebrates one-year milestone (BridgeDetroit podcast)
Authentically Detroit celebrates a year of being on the airwaves by asking Kat Stafford and Candice Fortman what it means to be an authentic Detroiter.
Diego, Frida, and my grandfather in Depression-era Detroit
The author's grandfather, Antonio Martinez, met the artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in Depression-era Detroit.