stars are also on display, while schedules from the grueling Motown Review
concerts on Friday and Saturday
Tour are exhibited.
evenings.
During the month of April, the Museum holds the “Annual Motown
Celebration,” paying tribute to Motown legend Marvin Gaye. This gala affair is
Motown Museum's annual fund raising event and usually consists of a live
RESTAURANTS
•Edmund’s Place
concert by one of the Motown greats.
69 Edmond Street
One of the largest art museums in the country, the Detroit Institute of
Arts (DIA) first opened in 1885. Works by famous African-American artists
•Club Penta (Fisher Bldg.)
•East Franklin
313 972-3760
3011 W. Grand Boulevard
1440 Franklin Street
313 393-0018
•Flood’s Lounge
733 St. Antoine Street
such as Romare Bearden and Detroit artist Charles McGee are on permanent
display. The museum also has part of its extensive African art collection on
1940 E. Jefferson
313 567-777
313 831-5757
•The Detroit Institute of Arts
313 833-7900
E N T E R T A IN M E N T /
N IG H T L IF E
•Emanuel Steward’s Place
•Steve’s Soul Food
313 963-1090
8443 Grand River
_ display.
313 894-3464
7 ‘ George Washington Carver Memorial
E 313 271-1620
Detroit's impressive skyline
Born into slavery in Missouri in 1864, George Washington Carver became
the first African-American man to graduate from Iowa State University in
1896. As a scientist and educator based at Alabama’s Tuskegee Institute,
D
e TROIT. MICHIGAN
Carver won international distinction for his advocacy of soil conservation and
crop diversification and for his experiments with alternative uses for farm
crops. He is most widely known for developing more than 300 uses for the
peanut.
During the quarter-century prior to the Civil
War, Detroit served as a major terminal on the
U nderground R ailroad. T he c ity ’s location
attracted thousands of escaped slaves on their
way to Canada and freedom. From several points
along the Detroit River, abolitionist and other
sympathizers helped smuggle the runaways across
to Canada. Historians have identified several
crossing points between Lake St. Clair and Lake
Erie.
The George Washington Carver Memorial was built in Greenfield Village in
1942 as a tribute to one of America’s leading agricultural scientists, this log
cabin commemorates the Missouri birthplace of its namesake. The interior
walls are lined with wood panels contributed by the governors of the then—
48 states in Carver’s honor.
•Graystone International Jazz Museum
313 963-3813
In the 1920s and 30s, Paradise Valley was one of the few Detroit areas
where unsegregated groups could enjoy music together. Paradise Valley, locat­
ed in the heart of the Black community in Detroit, included the great
Motown Historical Museum
Graystone Ballroom.
The Graystone was the only ballroom around that regularly hired local
Black jazz bands. The development of jazz took off as Black and white locals
M U S E U M S & H IS T O R IC S IT E S
•Museum of African American History
would dance and play to all the latest sounds. Top bands such as Fletcher
3 1 ) 833-9800
improvisational style that is associated with the jazz tradition.
The Museum of African-American History, formerly the Afro-American
Henderson and Duke Ellington played at the Graystone and inspired the
In addition to housing a display of musical instruments, records and other
Museum o, Detroit, was established in 1965 by Dr. Charles H. Wright and 33
jazz memorabilia, the Graystone promotes and conducts research which traces
local citizens. The museum serves as a repository for collecting and docu­
the development of jazz from its beginning African rhythms to its modern
menting the contributions of African-American people and has a learning and
forms.
Hitsville USA, Motown Museum
resource center for all ages and ethnic groups. The museum also promotes,
through permanent and traveling exhibitions, African-American contributions
•Elijah McCoy Home Site
to the humanities and the creative works of African-American artists. The
5730 Lincoln
museum maintains a research library, gift shop and offers membership oppor­
tunities.
The museum's main exhibit is “An [pic of Heroism: The Underground
This site, between Stanley and
the railroad tracks, was the location
of the home of Elijah McCoy, an
Railroad in Michigan, 1837-1870." The graphic and interactive display depicts
African-American inventor who made
the history of the slave trade and the persistent struggle for freedom, featur­
significant contributions to industry
ing the network of homes and individuals set up in Michigan to shelter and
The high quality of his craftsman­
convey fugitive slaves to freedom.
ship gave rise to the phrase “The
Real McCoy."
•Motown Museum
313 875-2264
The Motown Museum stands today as a tribute to those earlier days of
music magic. Motown's founder Berry Gordy Jr. brought the two-story house
In 1872, McCoy patented his first
invention, a lubrication cup. Elijah
McCoy is credited with seventy-eight
patents on lubrication devices.
the 1960s, the company was flourishing with seven more houses and scores
of top music acts.
Today, this declared Michigan historic site remains very much like it did
in the early 60s. Its displays include the actual primitive music studio,
recording equipment, sheet music and piano used by the stars. Photographs
and gold records from the early years grace the walls, costumes worn by the
4
Detroit Institute of Arts
in 1959, when he was a songwriter with ambitions of managing singers. By
•American Black Artist
Museum
313 872-0332
Michigan's only Black art muse­
um features works by LeRoy Foster
and local artists as well as live jazz
Quilting Time, 1986, by Romare Bearden can be seen at the Detroit Institue of Arts