DETROIT Monument to the Dead Africans

Where Grand River Avenue splits with Grand Blvd. , the artist Olayame Dabls has   created a monument to Africans who died trying to escape from slave ships.

His use of materials reflects many of those used in African cultures.

This sections is called:  ” Iron teachings rocks to rust”.  Is there a metaphor here?

The artist welcomes visitors…..and is happy to oblige them with a tour.

Many of the objects he uses are dropped off my total strangers.

I wonder what his intent was/is with the car?  Is it a form of a slave ship?

His Bead Museum is packed full of African artifacs.

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All kinds of people are involved in his projects…..Africans, Europeans and other artists who want to help him with his vision.

Iron……a mainstay in his sculptures…..teaching us how to rust?

Use the paint…………then reuse the cans.  UseRefuse?

Stelle?

Three slaves………..

I shot for hours.  More BLOGS of his art will follow soon.

DETROIT………Burn Baby Burn !

Ever since the 1967 riots, Detroit has had 33,000 abandoned houses.

The riots lasted five days……..500 injured, 7000 arested, 2500 stores burned down [after looting] and 400 houses burned down.

  Cost to the city……..$80 million.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE RIOTS 0F 1967     Panic in Detroit: The 1967 Riots! – YouTube

The fire department actually has “brown out” days……..shutting down 12 fire for houses one day each week.

……….budget cuts and not enough firemen.

Why don’t they just let these houses burn to the ground?

Staying at a fire and watching it burn to the ground takes time…….preventing firemen from answering calls to other fires.

It is cheaper to leave a house standing than to demolish it.

180,000 abandoned houses have been demolished since the riots.

2000 more will be torn down this year…at great cost to the city’s resources.

Detroit in no longer considered a “City” by the federal government………it is now a “Town” with fewer than 900,000 inhabitants.

A ” town” receives far fewer federal dollars than a “City”.

Detroit is disappearing because the residents are disappearing.

Many torch their houses for profit…..others for entertainment.

On “fright night”…thrill seekers will set fire to hundreds more houses.  The firemen will be stretched to their limits.  HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

CLICK HERE:     The Ghosts Of Detroit by Mandroidmusic – YouTube

DETROIT…….Houses that are Homes

My sister, Wini, and I drove around our old neighborhood……..and this is what is left of it…….and people are actually still living in these houses.

CLICK ON TO SEE MORE:      Detroit City Tour of Ghetto (final cut) – YouTube

I was born in this house on the corner of Alexanderine and Cass Ave.  Looks like someone is trying to restore it.

This reminds me of the time that City Marshals evicted us for non-payment of rent.  A neighbor let us move into their garage in the alley.

Three little kids were on their porch.  We gave them a pumpkin.

Sidewalks grown over……ghostly !

The man who lives in here came out and shooed us away.

A guy came out and told us he would call the police if we didn’t leave! WE LEFT!

My friend Lucy used to live here.  She was the dress buyer for Sak’s and Korvettes.  She now lives in Heaven. {I hope}.

Someone is trying hard to maintain their home.

We lived on this corner for 10 years………..

This Catholic church was just down the street on Trumbull Ave. Now it is the only building left for 12 blocks.  Homeless people are living in the basement.

Sad !  What happened to the family who lived here?

They were having a Bar-B-Q in the front yard!  I was NOT invited to chow down.

He is actually trying to restore this house.  GOOD LUCK!

Entire neighboorhoods are GONE.  Sidewalks GONE.   Families GONE.

This church was called HOPE GOSPEL when I was a kid. It’s still there on the corner of  what used to be Lincoln and Willis streets.

Now the church is on the corner of Aretha and Temptations!.  I get the “temptations” part………but Aretha?

Dionne Warwick sings “A House Is Not A Home” at St Lucia Jazz Festival – YouTube

DETROIT African Bead Museum

On Grand River Avenue in Detroit…………an Artist by the name of DABL has glassed his house with mirrors, paint cans and other assorted castoffs.

It is a fascinating work or art.

I spent hours photographing his creation.

Picasso?  Klee?  NOT!

I took over 500 photos of  this house………..more will follow in other BLOGS>

DETROIT……..Franklin Village

Just outside of Detroit………..is a charming Historic Village……founded in 1825 by Elijah Bullock.  Covers about two square miles.

A charming place for lunch.  CLICK ON TO GET IT’S HISTORY.

Franklin Grill – Be Part of History

Met up for a reunion with Lois……………one of my classmates at Cass Tech High in the 1950′s.

Batter fried asparagus for a starter……….

A table with a view………

Lois’ husband, Jerry perusing the menu.

These three were part of our lunch………….corn!

Cute place to pick up a few vittles.

Pumpkins……your choice…….$3.

Ye Olde Franklin Cider Mill…………we stopped for donuts.

The sweaters weren’t all that beautiful!  A bit “too country”.

No time for a Spa treatment.

Charming historic cottages abound.

For Sale…$250,000.

One of the 3100 residents who live here in this charming village.

DETROIT……….was there for the last 2 weeks

On Grand River Avenue………across from the abandoned Train Station………

was this very interesting GRAFFITI.

Click on to learn more about it.

http://www.dare-dare.org/