Detroit - Changing Places Flashcards
(24 cards)
Location
- state capital of Michigan
- Borders the great lakes - entry into Canada
- international and regional airports
- developed as a transport hub
History
- found by french colonialists in 1701
- boomed at the start of the 20th century
- millions of African American migrants - racial oppression by KKK
- declared bankruptcy in 2013
Representation of place
- shown as a city of opportunity in the 20th century
- 2017 film ‘Detroit’ place of racial segregation
- Eminem “lose yourself’ - his one shot of success
- was a motor city - General motors, Ford, Chrysler
- Mowtown - performed by the black community
Reducing inequality in Detroit
- no strong local economy to reduce economy
- Supremes and Jackson 5 helped to bridge the divide but this isn’t occurring and the spatial segregation appears set
- Detroit Soup - people pay $5 for food ad entrepreneurs pitch ideas eg ‘food field’ can grow food on perviously derelict land
Economic change
- initial home of steel and became hub of car industry
- Ford’s head quarters and ‘conveyer belt’ work, Ford could pay $5 more a day than competitors
- the motor industry struggled from competition abroad so plants shut
- ‘rust belt’ began to form - due to decline of steel
- no other economic niches have been found
(Automation, energy crisis, economic crisis, foreign competition, increased labour costs)
Media (Meggs)
(Artist)
- Life is growth
- outsider perspective
- hands of labour and community
- pays homage to the eastern markets fundamental role in Detroits history and the impact that it has had
Media (Diego)
(Mural artist)
- outsider perspective
- workforce of Detroit and the car manufacturing industry
- shows the importance
Media (Heidelburg)
(Project)
- racial tension
- shows cultural aspects
- inequality
Media (African bead museum)
- insider
- 4 museums in Detroit with similar external features
- used art to stimulate emotional and cultural healing
Endogenous factors that add to character of place
- the great lakes
- manufacturing
- 8 mile road
- poor public transport
Changes to built environment
- destroying urban blight
- regeneration in the CBD
- Detroit soup
- heavy investment in entertainment
Man made features in the built environment
- lack of tourism because ‘no one wants to visit it’
- barricade between the rich and the poor
Detroit past connections
- big three (Chrysler, General Motors, Ford)
- connected via the great lakes
- highway system
- connected to Canada
- Motown (Jackson 5)
- Eminem
Unemployment + poverty
- 23.1% unemployment rate
- 36% poverty rate (Michigan = 15%)
- 73% black population below poverty line
Median age
35
Education
- 18% have a degree
- 67% decrease in school enrolment
- 81% graduated high school/ dropout rate 13%
- 15% have a bachelors degree or higher
Median household income
$33,900
property value
- median value of $51,600
- 5 properties of $1
- over half home owners paid no tax 2012
COVID
42% have a full dose of the COVID vaccine
vs 60% of Michigan as a whole
vs 67% whole of USA
Migrants
6% of Detroit residents are born outside of the USA
Social inequality
- race riots in 1967
- white flight, middle class moved to suburbs in the 50s
- 8 mile road splits rich and poor
Crime rates
70% of murders are unsloved
Population
Was 1.8 million, now 630k
Economic stability
$300 million short of municipal stability
