When the Savoyard River that flowed through this area was buried in 1827 — used as a primitive underground sewer, no less — the rich, dark, loamy soil of its riverbed remained, giving the area the nickname “Black Bottom.” Originally a Jewish settlement, the neighborhood of wood-framed houses and storefronts evolved into the heart of Detroit’s African-American community.

In the 1950s, this vital area was bulldozed to make way for the I-375 freeway, destroying homes and businesses and displacing thousands of Detroiters who called Black Bottom home.