When Detroit Played the Numbers: Gambling's History and Cultural Impact on the Motor City

Location: YDL-Superior (Meeting Room)

Join Felicia George, author of the award winning book, When Detroit Played the Numbers: Gambling’s History and Cultural Impact on the Motor City, as she sheds light on the lives of Detroit’s numbers operators. These self-made entrepreneurs overcame poverty and navigated the pitfalls of racism and capitalism by both legal and illegal means.

Operators and their families also became important members of the community, providing steady employment and financial support for local businesses. Get a glimpse into the rich culture and history of Detroit’s Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods, linking the growing gambling scene there with key characters and moments in local history, including Joe Louis’s rise to fame and the recall of a mayor backed by the Ku Klux Klan.

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