Segregation in 1970
Just after the 1967 riots, there were still large parts of west and east Detroit that were nearly all white, the vestiges of the housing patterns — cemented by federal housing policy and local real estate rules — that confined blacks to small slices of the city, creating tension that was a precursor for the anger that erupted. Back then 8 Mile was a real boundary; Warren, which bordered Detroit along that iconic road, had more than 179,000 people in 1970 but just 132 blacks. Click on an area to see how the demography of that neighborhood — here defined by census tracts — compares to areas around it.
Segregation in 2010
Although African-Americans comprise 25 percent of the tri-county area, few people — black or white — live in neighborhoods around the regional average. Instead, blacks are far more likely to live in majority black areas; whites in mostly white areas. Although some blacks live in almost every census tract, most are still concentrated in a handful of cities — Detroit, Southfield, Pontiac, River Rouge and Inkster. Click on an area to see how the demography of that neighborhood — here defined by census tracts — compares to areas around it.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under our Republication Guidelines. Questions? Email republishing@bridgemi.com
