The Last Days of Detroit

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By the end of the nineteenth century, Detroit was thriving, having evolved from a French fur-trading post. The mass production of cars began in 1913 with Henry Ford's Model T plant, establishing the city as a hub of innovation. By 1920, it was the fourth largest city in America, and by the mid-1950s, General Motors became the world's largest employer. However, by the time Berry Gordy founded Motown Records in 1960, signs of decline were evident. Big industries sought cheaper labor and better tax incentives elsewhere, urban planning was failing, and corruption was rampant. The 1967 riots, the worst in U.S. history, resulted in 43 deaths, over 7,000 arrests, and 3,000 buildings destroyed. Once a symbol of the capitalist dream, Detroit had descended into an urban wilderness with 50% unemployment and a murder rate three times that of New York. Mark Binelli returned to his native Detroit after years away to explore the city's transformation. He recounts the story of Detroit's rise and fall, highlighting the emergence of a new society from its ruins, characterized by urban farms and a vibrant arts scene. This iconic rust-belt city is now a laboratory for post-industrial regeneration in the twenty-first century.