FIND YOUR PEOPLE

Black Bottom is not just history, it's living memory. Survivors and descendants of this once-vibrant community are still with us, carrying stories that challenge the idea that “the past is past.”

Thanks to the work of Sankofa Community Research, we connected with Detroit based artist Tim Burke, who rescued over 40 large bins of rare, at-risk documents from the Detroit Housing Commission and Detroit Planning Commission—saved from the side of the road. These materials include property assessments, business records, and case files of displaced residents. Together, they offer powerful, tangible evidence of the destruction of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley and make clear why reparative justice is not only needed, but long overdue.

Today, we are working in partnership with Tim Burke to digitize these documents. Our goal is to create the first-ever publicly accessible database of families who lived in Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. By mapping and preserving these records, we are not just restoring lost chapters of Detroit’s history—we are helping descendants reconnect with their roots. For many, this may be the first time they see their family's name tied to a specific home, street, or business.

View the database below.

To stay up to date on our progress, check back on this page.

If you have discovered a potential relative, please email hello@Blackbottomarchives.com for more information.