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Detroit: History

A guide with resources on Detroit, including its history, culture, and data and data visualizations.

Detroit: Past and Present

pictured: Detroit Fire Engine Company 22, 1892 and 2012

Detroiturbex - Documents the past, present and future of Detroit, delving into the rise, fall and regeneration of the city and how it got that way

Detroit's Civil Unrest

12th Street Detroit - Digital exhibit from the Reuther Library at Wayne State University using primary source documents to explore the history of the Detroit Uprising

People, Places & Events

Encyclopedia of Detroit - From the Detroit Historical Society, this encyclopedia has historical information on people, places, and events in Detroit.

JSTOR Open - The openly accessible portion of JSTOR has thousands of articles on Detroit, many of which focus on its history (use the "Refine Results" to narrow by subject, etc.).

Library Resources

Library Books - The CCS Library has many resources specifically related to Detroit; to further narrow the search, use "Topics" under "Refine your search" on the left side

EBSCO - Multidisciplinary database has information on all facets of Detroit (CCS credentials required). Narrow your results with the "Refine Results" options on the left side

Researching Buildings in Detroit

Preservation Detroit: How to Research an Historic Property - Resources for beginning the process of researching a specific building or property in Detroit

Historic Detroit - Provides images, information, and locations of notable and historic buildings throughout Detroit

Detroit: The History and Future of the Motor City - Features buildings, cemeteries, public art, historic districts, and landmarks as well as a list of historic sites in Detroit's racial history

Images

Luna Images: Detroit - Group featuring outdoor art and graffiti around Detroit as well as notable installations such as the DIA murals (CCS credentials required)

Virtual Motor City Collection - Photojournalistic collection documenting the city of Detroit from the late 19th century through the 1980s

National Automotive History Collection - A Detroit Public Library collection of images focused on the history of cars and carmakers in Detroit

College for Creative Studies website