TBT: Documenting Detroit in 1983

For decades, Dearborn has been known for a booming Arab-American population. In 1983, a group of elementary students were captured in front of a Halloween poster.

The black and white photographic print mounted on board depicting of four young Arab-American girls standing against a wall in front of a Halloween drawing at Salina Elementary School in Dearborn. Caption reads, ”Arab American students at Salina make up more than half the school enrollment.” Photograph by Steve Shaw, from the Documenting Detroit collection.

From 1972 to 1984, the Detroit Historical Museum partnered with the Center for Creative Studies (now the College for Creative Studies) to create Documenting Detroit. Students explored aspects of documentary photography using the people and landscape of Detroit as their subjects. Many of the photographs were exhibited at the museum, and all became part of the Detroit Historical Society Collection.

FOX 2 thanks Detroit Historical Society for this and all of our Throwback Thursday stories.