Detroit, MI

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Founded in 1962 by Dr Charles Wright, it began in two houses on West Grand Blvd; Dr Wright was present during its move to this $38 million complex designed by local African American architects Sims-Varner; when one enters through the brass doors of the 120,000 sq. feet MAAH, your eyes are drawn from the Canadian Arriscraft stone floor along the Kansas Terra-cotta stone walls then 55 ft upwards to the rotunda dome; whisk off to the gallery that evokes a visceral response with its Middle Passage Tight Pack exhibit, which is a commemoration to those who were abducted from Africa; “Tight Pack” refers to how enslaved people were packed tightly together and shackled as human cargo; 40 local students were selected as models for Tight Pack; MAAH chronicles African American history beginning in Africa, through the Black Holocaust and Civil Rights Movement; many artifacts illustrate accomplishments and inventions by African American; Louis Lattimer Café provides a pleasant place to sip java

Tue-Thu 9:30a-3p, Fri-Sat 9:30a-5p, Sun 1p-5p

admission fee

315 East Warren Ave

313-494-5800

http://www.maah-detroit.org

Motown Historical Museum
The original studio and headquarters where the “Motown Sound” was born; no other 1960s music company produced as many number 1 hits, or launched as many stellar careers as Motown; the headquarters is restored to its 1960s state when Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson 5, Temptations, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Gladys Knight and the Pips and the Supremes recorded their first hits there; Motown fans can find rare photographs, gold records and one-of-a-kind memorabilia, including Michael Jackson’s famed sequined glove and the glittering dresses worn by the Supremes; the Motortown Revue Exhibit upstairs has rare photos and videos of historic theatres made famous by Black performing artists; plans are in the works to open a Motown Center to complement Hitsville that will include interactive exhibits, a Motown-themed restaurant and performance space; although Motown left Detroit in 1972, this museum and the expanded center to come prove that Detroit is the real Motown

2648 West Grand Blvd

313-875-2264

http://www.motownmuseum.com

Joe Louis Monument
From his defeat of German champion Max Schmeling during World War II, to his still unmatched 13-year reign as heavyweight boxing champion, this Detroiter ranks among the most influential figures of the 20th century; based on the number of successful title defenses and caliber of competition, Joe Louis may have been the greatest heavyweight pugilist ever; the city pays homage to its native son with three monuments in the downtown area. A 12-foot bronze sculpture by Ed Hamilton features Joe in his memorable prime boxing form

Joe Louis Arena facing Renaissance Center

The Fist Monument
The beloved Detroit native and world boxing champ, Joe Louis, has a second commanding memorial along at the entrance of the Joe Louis Arena; this 24 feet long sculpture by Robert Graham is a fascinating over-sized metaphor for the man with a 6-inch knockout punch

Jefferson at Woodward Ave

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial
Dedicated to the brave troops who fought in the historic Civil War in 1872; titled “Emancipation”, the monument has five bronze statues, the figure of Emancipation on this memorial is said to be Sojourner Truth who lived in Detroit for a time

Woodward Ave & Campus Martius

Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order of Noble Mythic Shrine
From an external view, the name says it all at this very private fraternal organization

2211 Cass Ave

313-961-9148

Walter P. Reuther Library
The Archives of Labor and Urban History are an African American historian’s treasure chest

Mon-Tue 11a-6:45p, Wed-Fri 9a-4:45p

5401 Cass Ave at Wayne State University

313-577-4024

http://www.reuther.wayne.edu

National Museum of the Tuskegee Airmen
In 1941 the Army Air Corps created the now famous segregated pilot training program at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama; among those graduates was the late Detroit Mayor, Coleman Young; this museum honors the 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, and the 477th Bombardment Group which became known as the Tuskegee Airmen; during the WWII air campaign over Europe; while suffering major casualties themselves, not a single American bomber escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen was lost; the Airmen’s heroism helped pave the way for mainstream America to accept the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s

seasonal admission, volunteers run it and donations appreciated

Apr-Sep Tue-Sun 10a-3p

6325 West Jefferson Ave

313-843-8849

website

Submerge
The First Black-owned record distributor is also a Techno music home; located in a 3-story music building just a short a short distance from the original Motown headquarters; the Union Hall is nicely renovated  for seminars; today the building is a hub for record shopping and record shipping to retailers

3000 East Grand Blvd

http://www.submerge.com

Graystone International Jazz Museum
The Book Tower building features more than office space; Suite 201 exhibits instruments, photos and videos of the Jazz greats in a sublime, small museum

Tue-Fri 11a-4p, Sat by appt

1249 Washington Blvd

313-963-3813

http://www.ipl.org.ar/exhibit/detjazz/Graystone.html

Shrine of the Black Madonna Cultural Center and Bookstore
Spend the afternoon traipsing among the artwork, refreshing the spirit and locating hard to find books; housed in the Shrine of the Black Madonna Cultural Center and Bookstore is a Black Holocaust Museum, a memorial to more than 100 million Africans who were captured in slave trade for the Americas and Europe; it contains a collection of compelling documents, photographs, narratives, and artifacts from the slave trade, a reproduction of a slave cabin as well as dramatic, highly emotional portrayals of the African slave experience

museum tours Sat 3p–4p; bookstore Tue-Thu 11a-6p, Fri-Sat 11a-7p

13535 Livernois

313-491-0777

http://www.shrinebookstore.com

Eta Phi Beta Sorority Headquarters
Founded in 1942, this business and professional sorority with over 100 chapters throughout the US and Virgin Islands is dedicated to public service

16815 James Couzens Ave between McNichols and Meyers

313-862-0600

http://www.etaphibetanatl.org

African American Heritage Center
Began as a African history exhibit presented by the Detroit Public Schools, public demand called for the exhibit to be made available year-round and it was moved to a permanent home in 1991; ancient African history & civilization exhibits, alternative education programs for at-risk students, animated robotic figures of Queen Tye, Balen Tiqi the African storyteller, King Askia of Mali and the elaborately dressed Queen Makeda make this a special place for adults and children

Mon-Fri 10a-4p

21511 West McNichols

313-494-7452

http://www.detpub.k12.mi.us/schools/AHCC

Gospel Music Hall of Fame & Museum
Detroit has long been a center of Gospel music and here you can learn about the impact that African Americans had on Gospel music -- an area that has been historically overlooked by many Gospel music museums; learn about the father of Gospel music, Thomas A. Dorsey. There are also opportunities to browse through the Hall of Fame and view portraits and rare original compositions and recordings of Gospel pioneers

Open by appointment

admission $4

18301 West McNichols

313-592-0017

http://www.gmhf.org

Plowshares Theatre Company
A cultural gem and Michigan's only professional African-American theater company; , Plowshares has presented numerous productions by contemporary and up-and-coming African-American playwrights to the community since 1990, earning it a reputation as one of the most dynamic drama companies in Michigan

8425 West McNichols

awaiting new phone number

http://www.plowshares.org