From Settler Colony to Gentrifying City and Beyond: Detroit from a Democratic Socialist Perspective 

The Metro Detroit DSA Political Education Committee announces a series of monthly educational events that will examine the economic, political, and social forces that have shaped Detroit from its founding to the present. The series will address topics such as the city’s slaveholder origins, its legacy of race and class struggle, its record of capitalist exploitation, and the potential for a more equitable future. Monthly sessions will feature community discussions, guest speakers, film and video screenings, and more, along with a curated set of key readings. 

This series will be of interest for anyone wanting to understand – and more importantly take an active role in – Detroit and its ongoing fight for social, environmental, and economic justice.

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Upcoming Sessions:

Session 2 - October 25:
For those of you who joined with us October 2, here is the chance to discuss the readings on spatial racism, all aspects Detroit's unique oppression. It is not necessary to do all the reading to participate-all welcome!

Link to reading: Excerpt from “Detroit 1967 and Today” by Peter J. Hammer, Spatial Racism and Ongoing Cycles of Oppression Link

Session 3 - November 8:

Join us at the Charles H. Wright Museum to hear from Jamon Jordan, the official historian of Detroit, who will guide us through Detroit's history of racism, rebellion, and class struggle from 1701 through the early 1900s. We'll follow with a post-tour discussion.

Suggested donation of $10 to cover costs. 

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Past Sessions:

Session 1:
Intro & Overview for the Class Series
Marsha Music - The Detroitist

Just Say Hi - Marsha Music was a founder of the league of Revolutionary Black workers, and is a labor and community organizer. 

Detroit Equity Lab - Peter Hammer
Peter Hammer is the director of the Damon Keith Center at the WSU law school and a civil rights activist for many years.

Race, Regionalism and Reconciliation - Power Point