F.A.Q.s

What is The Hustle?

The Detroit Historical Society’s newest initiative, The Hustle, will reach into Detroit’s neighborhoods to identify inspiring stories of Detroiters who may have never expected to see themselves celebrated in a historical museum. For the next two years, we will tell the stories of Detroit’s outstanding Black entrepreneurs, crowdsourced from the community.

Who is eligible for nomination?

Black entrepreneurs or business owners of any age or at any career stage. Their businesses (if brick and mortar) must be located in Detroit. If businesses are internet-based or mobile (able to operate in different locations), the nominee’s home address must be in Detroit. Nominations are being accepted during May and June 2022. (Nominations are now closed!)

Why are you only honoring Black business owners?

Detroit has been a majority-Black city for more than 40 years. By a large margin, its small businesses are owned by Black Detroiters and they play an outsized role in serving and supporting the city’s neighborhoods. These businesses have not commanded the media attention of some of Detroit’s more recent transplants or larger tech start-ups, and we believe that their stories are rich, educational and deserve to be more widely known.

What do the winners receive?

The final honorees will be featured in rotating exhibits at the Detroit Historical Museum, beginning in Fall 2022 and continuing through Spring/Summer 2023. The exhibits will be supported by educational programs and public events, including a resource summit designed to support entrepreneurs at every stage of their journeys. Honorees’ personal stories, portraits and artifacts will be archived in the Detroit Historical Society’s permanent collection to document the city’s current crop of remarkable entrepreneurs and the important roles that they play in our history.

Who is considered to be an entrepreneur?

An individual who runs or begins a business of any size, including those that may be informal (operating on a temporary or cash-only basis).

I have another question or I want to get involved. Who can I contact?

Email us at hustle@detroithistorical.org or call 313.833.4727.