Detroit 67: A Community-Driven Commemoration
WITH DETROIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Collaborative storytelling and design process to shape a shared narrative.For over a century, the Detroit Historical Society has preserved and shared the city’s stories, creating spaces for connection and dialogue about its complex history. “Detroit 67: Looking Back to Move Forward,” was created to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1967 uprising, not as a singular moment in time, but as part of a much larger story—one that began long before that summer and continues today. Through exhibitions, archival storytelling, and community partnerships, the project invited Detroiters to reflect on history, engage in conversation, and envision the city’s future.
The Work Department and Pitch Black Media partnered with the Detroit Historical Society to develop a strategy that fostered broad participation and a sense of community ownership. Through facilitated workshops, research, and a collaborative branding process, we shaped the project’s messaging, engagement strategies, and visual identity. Pitch Black Media led content distribution, expanding public engagement through media partnerships and strategic outreach. Together, we ensured that Detroit 67 resonated across audiences while honoring the many perspectives on this history.
Our team engaged community members, cultural leaders, and nonprofit partners to test messaging, visual framing, and storytelling strategies. Through structured discussions and interactive exercises, we surfaced key themes to refine the project’s content and inform the design.
Embracing multiple perspectives: The events of 1967 have been framed in different ways, including as a riot, rebellion, and revolution. Rather than defining the event through a single narrative, the project held space for these varied interpretations. The campaign’s central question, “What’s Your Perspective?” invited the public to engage in the conversation.
Looking backward and forward: The exhibition and outreach materials encouraged visitors to explore how past events continue to shape the present and influence the future. The storytelling approach paired historical accounts with contemporary voices and called on participants to imagine the path ahead.
Encouraging fearless conversations: The project challenged participants to confront difficult truths, providing a space for honest discussions about race, power, and structural injustice. Messaging and visuals were designed to provoke reflection and prompt deeper engagement.
Making the content accessible and adaptable: The visual identity, messaging, and engagement materials needed to be useful for a range of stakeholders, from museum staff to grassroots organizations.
Read our final recommendations from the engagement sessions.
Our final design deliverables included, environmental graphics, web and social media assets, invitations, posters, and outreach collateral that supported community conversations and public programming beyond the exhibition space.
COLLABORATOR
Zoe Minikes
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Detroit 67: Looking Back to Move Forward
Images from the Detroit Historical Society archives used in engagement meetings and the final exhibition.Originally developed as a temporary exhibition, “Detroit 67: Perspectives” is now a permanent exhibition at the Detroit Historical Museum. The project has been recognized nationally, earning both the 2018 National Medal for Museum and Library Service and the 2019 Leadership in History Award from the American Association for State and Local History. These honors reflect the success of Detroit 67 in fostering dialogue, deepening historical understanding, and providing a model for community-centered storytelling.
