Detroit's Birwood Wall: Hatred & Healing in the West Eight Mile Community
| AUTHOR | Van Dusen, Gerald; Holley Phd, Reverend Jim; Van Dusen, Gerald C. |
| PUBLISHER | History Press (06/03/2019) |
| PRODUCT TYPE | Paperback (Paperback) |
Description
In 1941, a real estate developer in northwest Detroit faced a dilemma. He needed federal financing for white clients purchasing lots in a new subdivision abutting a community of mostly African Americans. When the banks deemed the development too risky because of potential racial tension, the developer proposed a novel solution. He built a six-foot-tall, one-foot-thick concrete barrier extending from Eight Mile Road south for three city blocks--the infamous Birwood Wall. It changed life in West Eight Mile forever. Gathering personal interviews, family histories, land records and other archival sources, author Gerald Van Dusen tells the story of this isolated black enclave that persevered through all manner of racial barriers and transformed a symbol of discrimination into an expression of hope and perseverance.
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Product Format
Product Details
ISBN-13:
9781467142014
ISBN-10:
1467142018
Binding:
Paperback or Softback (Trade Paperback (Us))
Content Language:
English
More Product Details
Page Count:
192
Carton Quantity:
40
Product Dimensions:
5.90 x 0.50 x 8.90 inches
Weight:
1.00 pound(s)
Feature Codes:
Bibliography,
Index,
Price on Product,
Maps,
Illustrated
Country of Origin:
US
Subject Information
BISAC Categories
History | United States - State & Local - Midwest(IA,IL,IN,KS,MI,MN,MO
History | Discrimination
History | Subjects & Themes - Historical
Dewey Decimal:
977.434
Library of Congress Control Number:
2019935342
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
publisher marketing
In 1941, a real estate developer in northwest Detroit faced a dilemma. He needed federal financing for white clients purchasing lots in a new subdivision abutting a community of mostly African Americans. When the banks deemed the development too risky because of potential racial tension, the developer proposed a novel solution. He built a six-foot-tall, one-foot-thick concrete barrier extending from Eight Mile Road south for three city blocks--the infamous Birwood Wall. It changed life in West Eight Mile forever. Gathering personal interviews, family histories, land records and other archival sources, author Gerald Van Dusen tells the story of this isolated black enclave that persevered through all manner of racial barriers and transformed a symbol of discrimination into an expression of hope and perseverance.
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Your Price
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