Democrats and Republicans hold Black History Month celebrations with an eye on November's election
Black History Month was celebrated in the nation's capital with dueling events on Tuesday highlighting the divide between Democratsโ and Republicans' approaches to courting Black voters in the 2024 presidential election.
Loni Love is back in Detroit to celebrate Black History Month
Detroit is home to some amazing talent from singers, rappers, actors, and even comedians. Loni Love is an Emmy award and NAACP Image Award winner. The host, actress, comedian, philanthropist, and Detroit native is back home for a special Black History Month Gala. Love joined host Tati Amare and guest host AJ Williams on โLive in the Dโ to share information about what is expected to take place at the event.
How Merry Clayton turned โGimme Shelterโ by the Rolling Stones from good to legendary
Last year, news broke that 77-year-old rock โnโ roll legend and Rolling Stones member Mick Jagger had purchased a mansion in Florida for his girlfriend, which led to people on social media saying โGimme Shelterโ about the transaction.
African American art exhibit opens in Southfield
During this final weekend of Black History Month, events are still taking place throughout the area including in Southfield, where a new art exhibit is opening. The โVisionsโ art exhibition will feature artworks by local African American artists on display in the main lobby of the Southfield City Hall. An opening reception is Friday, February 24, and the exhibit runs through April 28.
Historical Museum honors present-day Detroiters
When you think of the Detroit Historical Museum, you think of the past, but through a new exhibition the museum is celebrating those making an impact now, in the present. โThe project is really designed to celebrate Detroitโs unsung heroโs, the people from the neighborhoods who really make our neighborhood come to life who make our lives as Detroiters the kind of rich interesting lives that they are,โ Rebecca Salminen-Witt, Chief Strategy and Marketing Director, with the Detroit Historical Society told โLive in the Dโs,โ April Morton. This is the 2nd installment of the exhibit titled โThe Hustle,โ where 34 Black owned Detroit small businesses are recognized not only for their hustle and grind, but for giving back to the community.
This Detroit jewel pays homage to Black journalists
If youโve driven down East Jefferson near Chene, chances are youโve seen the WGPR sign. Well what you may not know is beyond that sign, in the back of the building, lies a hidden gem. โMany people donโt know it but WGPR was the very first Black owned and operated television station in the entire nation right here in Detroit,โ Joe Spencer, President of the WGPR Historical Society told โLive in the Dโs,โ April Morton. In 1973 the FCC granted Modern Masons, led by Dr. William V Banks, a permit to operate UHF TV Channel 62. That moment and the 20 years of broadcasting that followed, are all displayed in the WGPR Museum. Years of hard work collecting records, videotapes, memorabilia and all kinds of stuff paid off says Spencer. In 2017 the museum opened in the very same location of the original WGPR studios. Visitors to the museum can learn about this historic station, all its programing, and how the station helped launch the careers of some now legendary news broadcasters. The WGPR Historical Society is hoping to raise funds in order to build a functioning news studio. The space would be used by young students looking to learn the inโs and outโs of the news biz. Students will also be able to create an actual newscast that would be put on a thumb drive for them to have and share.
Biden closes out Black History Month with White House event
President Joe Biden welcomed Black leaders to the White House Monday for a jovial Black History Month celebration, where he used the moment to call on Congress to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, and pass voting rights bills.
History 4 All: The story and legacy of Dr. Ossian Sweet
In this segment of our History 4 All special, Local 4โฒs Kimberly Gill and Devin Scillian visit with Daniel Baxter, founder of the Dr. Ossian Sweet Foundation, at the Ossian H. Sweet House in Detroit to learn more about the history of the famed Black physician.
Sharing Black history on stage
Sharing Black history stories is something we see every February, but for one Black woman, Black history means something else. She has shared her stories on stage, on Broadway, and around the country, demonstrating that Black History Month should not be limited to one month, but should be learned, celebrated, and recognized all year.
Youโre in for a fun night at this Detroit bar and grille
As we continue to celebrate Black History month, we want to introduce you to a restaurant thatโs been popular in Detroit for a long while. Itโs known for providing good music, a fun atmosphere, and some mouth-watering soul food. Weโre talking about Floodโs Bar and Grille in downtown Detroit.
Royal Oak children, activists create Black History Month display in City Hall
When you walk through the doors of Royal Oak City Hall, youโll see, โBlack History is American History.โ The photo display features the smiles of more than 10 Royal Oak kids and teens as historic figures, such as Jackie Robinson, Ruby Bridges, Muhammed Ali, Althea Gibson, Serena and Venus Williams, and more.
Create a memento to preserve your memories
Celebrating Black History Month includes remembering key moments and people who have shaped our community. Thereโs a shop in Detroit thatโs helping people preserve their own family memories and treasures in a special way. Ericโs Iโve Been Framed Shop has been in the Detroit community since 1994.
This Detroit artist creates vibrant graphic designs
As we celebrate Black History Month, we are shining a light on the people who make Detroit such a vibrant city. Itโs a community rich in art, music, culture, style, and fashion. One woman is putting all of that together with her colorful graphic designs.
Meet the Black History Makers of Today
As we celebrate Black History Month this February, dozens of Michigan high school seniors are being recognized for their ability to uplift their peers or their community through academic achievement and positive behavior. Meet the students who won the Black History Makers of Today Scholarship.
The man behind โDetroit vs. Everybodyโ
DETROIT โ Itโs one of the most recognizable slogans in Metro Detroit: โDetroit vs. Everybody.โIt was started by a Detroit graduate whose career took him across the country. He traveled across the country and realized he didnโt like the way Detroit was being represented. Back in 2012, Walker created a simple, unmistakable design -- Detroit vs. Everybody. This is crying out whenever somebody makes a goal or scores anything cross the line -- โDetroit vs. Everybody,โโ Walker said. AdMore information can be found on Tommey Walkerโs official website here or the official Versus Everybody website here.
5 Detroit sites recognized as historic for role in Civil Rights Movement
DETROIT โ Five places in Detroit have been officially deemed historic for their role in the Civil Rights Movement. The Civil Rights Movement sought to demand equality for African Americans in the North as much as in the South,โ said Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Martha MacFarlane-Faes. โBy listing these sites, the National Register recognizes Detroitโs significant role in the growth of the movement. Officials say these five sites now join nearly 2,000 existing historic sites in Michigan that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The newly-selected sites were chosen by a 14-person Civil Rights advisory committee comprised of local historians familiar with Detroitโs Black history, as well as staff members from the State Historic Preservation Office and Detroitโs Historic Designation Advisory Board, officials said.
Detroit nonprofit makes a difference for less fortunate
DETROIT โ Love Only is a nonprofit that has been working to feed the homeless for over a decade. The ones behind the organization have started a life goal to help those who are less fortunate especially in the African American community. โIt makes me happy to feed people. My mom kind of showed me that and it made her really happy to do it and it makes me happy,โ said Love Only founder, Ivory Graves. Graves has been working to feed the homeless for 13 years and is widely known as Tree.
In photos: The rise of Kamala Harris, our countryโs first woman of color to serve as vice president
Vice President Kamala Harris has had quite the rise over the past decade or so: From San Franciscoโs district attorney and Californiaโs attorney general, to the Golden Stateโs senator and now our second in command, right behind President Joe Biden.
Students write poetry for Black History Month
In order to celebrate the voices of young local students during Black History Month, Local 4 is working with InsideOut Literary Arts, an organization that helps Detroitโs youth build their literary and academic skills through creative writing. Below you can read some of the poems written by these local students of various ages in honor of Black History. About InsideOutOur Mission: to inspire students to think broadly, create bravely, and share their voices with the wider world. Since 1995, InsideOut Literary Arts has helped over 65,000 of Detroitโs youth build their literary and academic skills through creative writing. As Detroitโs largest and oldest literary non-profit, InsideOut now serves more than 100 classrooms and community sites annually.
Remembering the Paradise Theater in Detroit
DETROIT โ For 10 years, Detroitโs Orchestra Hall presented jazz artists under the name Paradise Theater, opening on Christmas Eve 1941. The Paradise hosted renowned jazz musicians, including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington. The Paradise Theater years ended in 1951 at Orchestra Hall, now home to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Here is its story -- watch the video above. More: Black History Month