DABO Celebrates Black History Month Black Bottom and Paradise Valley Presentation By Ken Coleman

Detroit's lower east side is where blues great John Lee Hooker performed at Henry's Swing Bar on Madison Street in Black Bottom strumming his guitar and voicing in his signature style spoken-word Mississippi drawl. Here, he recorded one of his popular hits, "Boogie Chillen." It is also where Black congregations like Tabernacle Baptist Church, which the Sheffield family helped to found, Plymouth Congregational Church and others launched their religious institutions. It is also where Coleman A. Young, Detroit's first Black mayor grew up.

The city's Black population skyrocketed from 5,700 in 1910 to 120,000 by 1930 during the period called The Great Migration. By estimates, about 350 African American-owned businesses were located in the Black Bottom and Paradise Valley area. Black Bottom was largely a residential area, south of Gratiot and bounded by Brush Street on the west and the Grand Trunk Railroad tracks on the east.

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Make plans to celebrate Black History Month with us on February 17 at 12pm. DABO and Ken Coleman will be hosting an event at 9928 Grand River Ave.

Ken Coleman will be speaking at Black History Month Observance where he will be speaking about Black Bottom & Paradise Valley.

Admission is free, and we'd love to have you join us for this unforgettable occasion!

For additional details, feel free to call 313-491-0003.