Black Bottom Archives is proud to present:
Sankofa Community
Research
a community-led research project to
document the multi-generational impacts of the
destruction of black bottom and Paradise Valley on Black Detroiters, and their visions for reparations.
SANKOFA COMMUNITY RESEARCH WAS DESIGNed TO FIND ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS:
1) What was lost in the destruction of Paradise Valley and Black Bottom?
2) What was the multigenerational impact of displacement on Black Detroiters?
3) What do displaced Black Bottom/Paradise Valley community members and their descendants think reparations could include, especially regarding the 30 acres of land to be developed from the I-375 Reconnecting Communities Initiative?
Click the buttons below to view the Sankofa Research Project tools and resources. These include a new Digital Archive, a digital map of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley, oral histories of past residents and descendants, and a digital version of our community report, which documents the history and Black Bottom and Paradise Valley residents’ and descendants’ visions for reparations.
reaching back, to go foward...
reaching back, to go foward...
Sankofa Community Research (SCR) is a Black Detroiter led, community research project in partnership with Detroit Peoples Platform and academic partners at the University of Michigan to collect oral histories and conduct historical research to document the multi-generational impact of the destruction of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley on Black Detroiters; and to explore Black Detroiters collective vision for reparations as part of the 'I-375 Reconnecting Communities Project'.
New Digital Archive
Black Bottom Archives has created an entirely new and redesigned archive. This version of our digital archive will also be integrated with our Sankofa Digital map: Using our Black Bottom Street View photos, archival research, and oral histories to visualize the Black Bottom community before its destruction and narrate the multi-generational consequences of its destruction from the perspective of Black Detroiters.
This version of the archive will also host donated materials, special exhibitions, and archival research from previous iteration of the digital archive as well.
Visit our new Digital Archive to view our publicly available materials, and check back in for new additions as we continue to develop our archive.
Refreshed Digital Map
As a part of our research, we have planned to refresh our Sankofa digital map with new instances of data and features that include the research gathered during SCR. This refresh is still in progress, but all of out original map elements are still in place and accessible for use.
Visit Our Digital Map and see the interactive elements we’ve integrated into the experience.
Oral Histories
As a part of the Sankofa Community Research Project, Black Bottom Archives conducted interviews with former Black Bottom residents, descendants, and those with professional or social connections to the generational impact of the destruction of Black Bottom.
These Oral Histories serve a major role in gathering the qualitative data that outlines the true impact of processes like Eminent Domain and Urban Renewal on Black communities. They also serve a key piece in outlining what Reparations could look like for the consequences of community displacement, and offer a path into the future for all descendants of Black Bottom, and Detroit’s larger Black community.
Visit our Oral History collection in our new Digital Archive to view a selection of the Oral Histories collected during the Sankofa Community Research Project.
Zine
The Sankofa Community Research Project’s report is available to the public in the form of a physically printed and digitally accessible zine.
This zine is a report on what we’ve learned so far and is meant to be a resource first for Black Detroiters: A tool to aid us in remembering not just where we come from but what we are capable of. Our hope is that all who read this are encouraged to practice Sankofa and look back to the lessons of our past for the answers to our future.
Throughout the report, you will find snippets of stories from past residents and their descendants, references to archival records, and illustrations to visualize our learnings.
Find your people
As a continuation of our Sankofa Research Report, we are building a comprehensive list of displaced families with lineages in Black Bottom to help community members trace their ancestry and reclaim their family stories.
Check back regularly to see new names, and contact Hello@blackbottomarchives.com if you would like to access more information about a potential relative.
