More than one hundred individuals who lived in Detroit at some time during the period from 1918 to 1967 share stories about everyday life-families and neighborhoods, community and religious life, school and work. They also describe extraordinary events-the great migration from the South, the depression, World War I, the 1943 race riot, the civil rights movement, the civil disturbance of 1967, and the Vietnam War. Their anecdotal testimonies and reminiscences provide invaluable information about the institutions, lifestyles, relationships, and politics that constitute the black experience in Detroit.

By featuring the histories of blacks living in Detroit during the first six decades of the century, this unique oral history contributes immeasurably to our understanding of the development of the city.