Dedication of Beatrice Buck's Paradise Valley Park, w/ special honoree Alberta Adams

**RJ_Spangler** · June-16-09, 12:46 AM

Detroit City Council Members & Mayor Dave Bing present Juneteenth Celebration
w/ Mistress of Ceremonies Councilwoman Barbara-Rose Collins & Councilwoman Jo Ann Watson
Paradise Valley [[corner of Randolph & Gratiot), formerly known as Harmonie Park.
Noon to 3 pm, Friday, June 19, 2009

Dedication of Beatrice Buck's Paradise Valley Park, with special honorees: Alberta Adams, Ortheia Barnes, Lottie "The Body" Clairborne, Bert Dearing & Norman Thrasher.

Juneteenth celebrates the emancipation of the last remaining slaves in the United States and inclusion into the greater American Dream. Come and enjoy plenty of festivities and music.

crawford · June-16-09, 12:55 AM

Mistress of Ceremonies?
Paradise Valley, now magically on Gratiot of all places?
Lottie "The Body" Clairborne?

Oh, well, I guess it's a circus, but if it brings attention to this neglected corner, then I don't have a problem with it.

I just hope entreprenuers aren't discriminated against if they aren't African [[not that any of these "distinguished guests" know the first thing about Africa, but that's another issue...)

**Gistok** · June-16-09, 03:28 AM

Holy crap... I thought they were only going to rename the district... don't tell me they're actually renaming the park itself....

MIRepublic · June-16-09, 03:43 AM

Originally Posted by detroitcity

HARMONIE PARK FOR LIFE. Stop renaming our past cultural spots.

Outside of the rest of that blather [[which is even more mind-numbingly stupefying than the rationale behind renaming the park in the first place), who the hell is "our"? Did you really just pull a reverse JoAnn Watson FTW to up the ante and out-crazy the crazies, or am I not reading that post correctly?

**pkbroch** · June-16-09, 07:06 AM

Harmonie Park,was home of the first German District and large Harmonie club in Detroit. It even has a Historical marker, if it's still there. Some German-Americans consider it as a part of thier cultural past in Detroit since the 1850's. The area around was a German neighborhood with shops and houses.

**Danny** · June-16-09, 02:45 PM

TERRIBLE!

A new Africantown in Harmonie Park presented by King Kwame's former "Thug Knights." and other folks. It's racist and I'm not going to take it anymore. I urge everyone to protest against that fake black community. This new Africantown must not happen. Money that is pour in from the city tax dollars and not going to other ethnic oasis communities like Mexicantown, Greektown, Chadeantown, Corktown, Yemeni Village, Bengla town and Islamic Warrendale.

**RJ_Spangler** · June-16-09, 04:36 PM

Okay, well you've all made your points...me, as a citizen of proud German heritage, think its great they are recognizing my dear Alberta. Also, Lottie, Bea Buck & Norm Thrasher. All great Detroiters! Orethia too. Bea did so much for the cultural heritage of Detroiters over the years. Maybe some here are familiar with her like I am? Lottie & AA are living links to the Paradise Valley, which was the culteral center of the black community before I-75 came through downtown. Norm recorded for Fortune with the Five Dollars and toured with Hank Ballard. To me that is very cool. Bert Dearing has kept a real jazz club going in the city for many, many years. My uncle Bud played Bert's Blackhorse on Gratiot in the 1970's. He still has a great jazz club in Eastern Market today! I am glad they are honoring all of these wonderful people.

**Gistok** · June-16-09, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by RJ_Spangler

Okay, well you've all made your points...me, as a citizen of proud German heritage, think its great they are recognizing my dear Alberta. Also, Lottie, Bea Buck & Norm Thrasher. All great Detroiters! Orethia too. Bea did so much for the cultural heritage of Detroiters over the years. Maybe some here are familiar with her like I am? Lottie & AA are living links to the Paradise Valley, which was the culteral center of the black community before I-75 came through downtown. Norm recorded for Fortune with the Five Dollars and toured with Hank Ballard. To me that is very cool. Bert Dearing has kept a real jazz club going in the city for many, many years. My uncle Bud played Bert's Blackhorse on Gratiot in the 1970's. He still has a great jazz club in Eastern Market today! I am glad they are honoring all of these wonderful people.

Terryh... is that you? I can't think of any other person of German heritage who minds seeing their historical past obliterated by this....

The 1849 founders of the Gesangverein Harmonie [[Harmonie Choral Society, the founders of the Harmonie Club) are probably turning over in their graves...

**noenaim** · June-16-09, 07:32 PM

First let me say this thread should never have been started.

Originally Posted by detroitcity

The reason why racism still exists... blacks cant forgive and forget about the slaves in the past. Who cares that they are the last remaining of the previous slaves. They are people now, just like everyone else.

Some might say that Jews should stop bringing up The Holocaust too, I wouldn't say that but some might.