A look inside the “Arsenal of Democracy” as Professor Gregory Sumner of University of Detroit Mercy joins Digging Detroit’s Thomas J. Reed Jr. and Detroit History Tours‘ Bailey Sisoy Isgro at Detroit’s historic Abick’s Bar. Sumner previews his upcoming book-signing, Detroit in WWII, at Abick’s on November 10, 2015. (Order yours on Amazon.) Thanks to our Abick’s […]
Remembering Darrell Evans’ Worst Day as a Tiger
Game 5 of the 2015 American League Division Series will go down as one of the most memorable games in baseball history. The errors made by Elvis Andrus and the despicable display of sportsmanship by the Toronto fans made me think of Darrell Evans and the 1987 American League Champion Series. [Before all my Canadian […]
Treasures from the Burton Historical Collection at the DPL
For Episode 13, curators Mark Bowden and Romie Minor share six of their favorite treasures from the Detroit Public Library’s Burton Historical Collection, celebrating its 100th year this fall. Mark shares the story of Clarence Burton, a Detroit attorney whose passion for history sent him into attics, cellars and even chicken coops to save […]
WGPR-TV 40th Anniversary: Dr. Banks’ Vision to Transform Detroit’s Media, Message and Messengers
**Updated on January 18, 2016 to include video highlight of Michigan Historical Marker dedication with Detroit Mayor Michael Duggan.** 40 years ago, on September 29th, the nation’s first African American-owned television station was launched in Detroit by Dr. William V. Banks. Host Pete Kalinski is joined in WGPR TV’s original studio by former host/producer and current executive […]
New Episode 11! Four Generations, One Detroit Home – The Sisoy Family
Meet Pete Sisoy and his family. In the 1920s his Russian immigrant father moved his young family from the crowds of Hamtramck to the wide-open country near the intersection of Southfield Rd. and Warren Ave.–the village of Warrendale under the watchful eye of Henry Ford–whom a young Pete met several times. Their large home held […]
New Podcast: Archivists Roundtable at Historic Abick’s Bar in Detroit
What to keep, what to throw away? The eternal question for the archivist. Some of Michigan’s top historical archivists join us for a roundtable discussion at historic Abick’s Bar on their unusual world–sometimes spent in dusty shelves and digging through dark basements and mysterious attics–but often waiting for you at the reference desk. They’ll share some familiar […]
Episode 10 – The Assassination of Jerry Buckley, Detroit’s Voice of the People
On the 85th anniversary of the assassination of famous Detroit radio voice Jerry Buckley, Digging Detroit is proud to release its 10th episode: The Assassination of Jerry Buckley – Detroit’s Voice of the People. Author of The Purples (Amazon), Warren Berger and Professor Thomas Klug of Margrove College’s Institute for Detroit Studies join host Pete Kalinski as […]
Episode 9 – Henry the Hatter – History & Haberdashery
Digging Detroit meets Paul Wasserman, owner of Henry the Hatter on Broadway in Detroit, whose father Seymour purchased the haberdashery from the original Henry in the early 1950s and suddenly moved his family from New York. Hats and history go hand-in-hand as Wasserman shares the ups and downs of hat popularity as well as the trending […]
New Student-Documentary: Paris Burton on Restoring Theaters, Revitalizing Neighborhoods in Detroit
Updated June 14, 2015: Digging Detroit is excited to support the next generation of storytellers. Below is a student documentary and journey with producer Paris Burton, a new graduate from University Liggett. We also take an exciting look at the school’s unique senior year Academic Research Program. (See press release on Paris and her collaboration with Digging Detroit.) […]
Episode 8: Cinema Detroit – 100 Year-Old School Thrives as Indie Film House
As the Cinetopia Film Festival opens in Detroit on June 5th, a film festival of all great film festivals, one of its venues is a 100 year-old school on Cass Avenue–Cinema Detroit, owned and operated by husband and wife Tim and Paula Guthat, who followed their dream to create a venue in Detroit for independent films that were […]