But at that time, African-American, the African-American dollar in the seat of Detroit turned around ten times within the community before it left the community.

You spent that dollar at your local chef or baker or your local convenience store or your local candy store or your local grocer.

You went there and bought all of your goods. That grocer took that dollar and went to hire a painter to paint the outside of his building, an African-American painter who would paint the outside of his building and will make signage for him.

And then that African-American painter would take his debt dollar and then go to a place that will allow him to package his paint inside of the barrels.

That would be an African-American barrel maker and so you get all of this money transferring from one African-American hand to another African-American hand and building wealth for the African-American community.

That was Jaman Jordan, a former teacher turned local tour guide and avid Detroit historian. We met Jaman in front of a roll of stores on a street near downtown Detroit.

That day it was pouring, but that didn't stop him from joining us in our car and guiding us through a tour of historic black sites like Paradise Valley.

Hey!

Come on in!

Hey, come on in!

Come on in!

Uh, perfect day for a walking tour.

Yeah!

Maybe a swimming tour?

Yes, it is a rainy day, but we can learn great history even in a way.

This is Driving the Green Book from McMillan Podcasts and I'm your host, Alvin Hall.

When my producer, Janay Woodswepper, and I began our journey, our starting point was Detroit because of its significance in the Great Migration.

In 1910, Detroit's African-American population was 1.2% of the total. By 1970, it was 43.7%.

Many of these new Detroit residents were from towns and cities across the South.

We know that a majority of them made trips back home regularly to visit family members and close friends who remained.

By starting in Detroit and heading South, Janay and I were shadowing a drive many African-Americans would have made.

So of course, African-Americans are coming to the city of Detroit in large numbers first in the 19 teens.

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