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Business mogul Don Barden to be commemorated in a Detroit street naming ceremony

DETROIT - Dignitaries and Barden Cablevision alumni will honor Don Barden with a Detroit street sign on Thursday, November 14, on Lyndon and Schaefer.  A ceremony featuring brief tributes will be held at 4 pm at Comcast, 12775 Lyndon Street, followed by the unveiling of the street sign at 5 pm.

Elected officials expected to participate include Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Mayor Mike Duggan, Detroit Council President Brenda Jones, Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, and Wayne County Executive Warren Evans. Other speakers include John Graves, Wade Briggs, formerly of Barden Cablevision and a host of other supporters. Charlene Mitchell is the Mistress of Ceremony.

"This is a historic day for our city. Detroiters will always remember Don's contributions with a street named in his honor," said Montez Miller, who led the street name changing effort. "Don was my boss at Barden Cablevision, but he became a friend and mentor. I was among many he touched through his work and philanthropy."

DON BARDEN—A POWERFUL LEGACY

Born into humble beginnings in Inkster, MI, Barden's decades-long business career in cable, casinos, real estate development and entertainment is a classic rags-to-riches tale. Barden built a cable system in Inkster, Romulus, Van Buren Township and Detroit.  The Inkster and Detroit systems were sold to Comcast Cable in 1994 for more than $100 million.

In entertainment circles, Barden partnered with Michael Jackson to lobby for his Detroit casino proposal and counted Aretha Franklin as a confidant. Barden was the owner, chairman, and chief executive officer of Barden Companies Inc., the Majestic Star, and Fitzgerald's casinos and hotels, and Waycor Development Co. He led the companies from earnings of $600,000 to annual revenue of more than $519 million, making Barden Enterprises one of the largest African-American owned conglomerates in the country.

But he never forgot his roots and lived in Detroit in a 10,000-square-foot mansion off the Detroit Golf Club.

Barden was the ninth of 13 children, and left Inkster to attend Central State University, where he set out to be a lawyer. But he dropped out of college in 1965 and used $500 in savings to open a record store, Donnie's Records, in Lorain, Ohio. That was the start of an empire.

He bought a nightclub, a weekly newspaper, and real estate development. Along the way, he became the first black city council member in Lorain, bought an interest in a cable television station and formed Barden Communications in 1981.

 “I am honored to have my brother commemorated with this street sign,” said his brother John Barden. “Don was dedicated to building a better Detroit.  He created jobs and other opportunities for many people.  This is a fitting tribute.”

Barden’s legacy will last permanently through the secondary street naming approved by the Detroit City Council Oct. 8.






 

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