I am researching the urbanization of Detroit Michigan, especially as it pertains to Detroit’s large manufacturing sector. Detroit’s automotive industry, ship building and steel production were all major draws for workers moving around the US in the late 19th and throughout 20th century. Tracking the growth of the city and where its citizens moved from or where they moved to within Detroit will help to understand the significance of the city within the United States. Detroit’s role as a manufacturing hub for allied militaries during both world wars undoubtedly impacted the already growing city, and I intend to explore the impact which wartime manufacturing had on the city’s growth and transformation.
Some potential research questions I would like to explore are:
>What economic/classes/cultural groups migrated to or from Detroit? Primarily single and young? Or experienced blue collar workers with families?
>How did the US Government bolster/inhibit growth, or alter the direction of the city? How much funding did they supply to the city itself or private industries for manufacturing?
>What cultural movements originated from or reached/impacted the city? ie, women’s suffrage, workers rights, gay rights, civil rights, anti-war sentiment within a major arms manufacturing center.
