As of the 2012 census, there were more than 60,000 small businesses in Detroit and nearly 49,000 of them were Black-owned. These businesses and the people who run them are often anchors in their communities: providing neighbors with opportunities for employment, recreation, support and socializing; as well as access to quality goods and services and skilled care. Yet these cornerstones of Detroit’s community had never been highlighted in our museums.
The Detroit Historical Society launched The Hustle in 2022 to celebrate Detroit’s unsung entrepreneurs. With its first round successfully concluded in 2024 and a second round set to launch in 2025, this multi-faceted project includes a series of quarterly exhibitions at the Detroit Historical Museum that are complemented by public events and education programs, celebrations, a day-long resource summit, and a festive black-tie gala.
The first round of The Hustle exceeded expectations:
• Nearly 800 crowd-sourced nominations submitted
• 34 entrepreneurs were featured in exhibits at the Detroit Historical Museum
• More than 73,000 people have seen the exhibits
• The project has garnered over 357,000 media impressions
• 2,468 people tuned in to 5 virtual programs
• 120 students participated in 4 educational sessions
• 925 entrepreneurs registered for the Hustle Resource Summit in November 2023
The next round of exhibitions will open at the Detroit Historical Museum in 2026.
