The
Plaindealer was not just Detroit's
first black newspaper, but one of
the first of its kind in the
country. It was founded in 1883 by
two brothers--Benjamin and Robert
Pelham Jr., Walter H. Stowers and
W.H. Anderson.
Detroit
Plaindealer
historical
marker
to be
unveiled
in
downtown
Capitol
Park
DETROIT
– Join
the
Detroit
Historical
Society’s
Black
Historic
Sites
Committee
plan
unveiling
of the
recently
rediscovered
Detroit
Plaindealer
Michigan
Historical
Marker
at
Capitol
Park and
then
moving
to
Shelby
and
State,
at the
southwest
corner
of the
Westin
Book
Cadillac.
The
Plaindealer
was
Detroit’s
first
African
American
newspaper,
founded
in 1883
by
brothers
Benjamin
and
Robert
Pelham
Jr.,
along
with
Walter
H.
Stowers
and W.H.
Anderson.
An
interstate
weekly
that
reached
communities
as far
away as
the
Dakotas,
the
paper
mainly
targeted
populations
in
Southeast
Michigan,
Canada
and
Ohio.
Although
it
ceased
publication
in 1894,
The
Plaindealer’s
editors
went on
to
pursue
careers
in
public
life,
with
Benjamin
Pelham
becoming
one of
the most
influential
African
American
leaders
in
Detroit.
(Before
helping
found
The
Plaindealer,
he is
also
credited
with
starting
The
Venture,
the
first
black
newspaper
in the
state of
Michigan.)
The
Detroit
Historical
Department
won
approval
for a
Plaindealer
marker,
which
was
fabricated
in 1977
but
never
erected.
It was
recently
found in
storage
at the
Dossin
Great
Lakes
Museum
and
shared
immediately
with the
Black
Historic
Sites
Committee.
To date,
no
explanation
has been
uncovered
for why
it was
never
installed.
District
6 City
Councilwoman
Raquel
Castaneda-Lopez
and
other
presenters
will
gather
for the
ceremony
to
unveil
of the
Plaindealer
Michigan
Historical
Maker.
The
Plaindealer
marker
campaign
owes a
debt of
gratitude
to
Sandra
Clark
and
members
of the
Michigan
Historical
Commission
as well
as the
Westin
Book
Cadillac,
where
the
marker
will be
installed.
Ceremony
Rundown/Presenters:
1:30
p.m.
Welcome,
Karen
Hudson
Samuels,
Chair,
Black
Historic
Sites
Committee
1:35
pm.
Marker
Discovery,
Jeremy
Dimick,
Detroit
Historical
Society
1:40
p.m.
Michigan
History
Commissioner,
Brian
James
Egen
1:45
p.m.
Westin
Book
Cadillac,
Debra
Shultz,
General
Manager
1:50
p.m.
Walk
over to
Marker
Unveiling
at
Shelby &
State
1:55
p.m.
Unveiling
-
District
6
Councilwoman
Lopez
2:00
p.m.
Interviews
and
Marker
Photos
The
Black
Historic
Sites
Committee
is an
affinity
group of
the
Detroit
Historical
Society
and was
founded
in 1971
by
Detroit
City
Councilman
Ernest.
C.
Browne
to
promote
a
greater
understanding
and
appreciation
of the
contributions
African
Americans
have
made to
the
history
of
Detroit,
Michigan
and the
nation.
The
Detroit
Historical
Society
is a
private,
nonprofit
organization
located
in
Midtown,
the
heart of
Detroit’s
cultural
center.
Founded
in 1921,
its
mission
is to
tell
Detroit’s
stories
and why
they
matter.
The
Society
operates
the
Detroit
Historical
Museum
and the
Dossin
Great
Lakes
Museum
on
historic
Belle
Isle. In
addition,
the
Society
is
responsible
for the
conservation
and
preservation
of more
than
250,000
artifacts
that
represent
three
centuries
of our
region’s
rich
history.
Through
its
museum
exhibits,
school
tour
programs,
community-based
programs
and
history-themed
outreach
efforts,
the
Society
serves
more
than
150,000
people
annually.
For more
information
on the
Detroit
Historical
Society,
visit
www.detroithistorical.org.
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