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Local Author's Latest Venture Speaks Of Little-Known History Of Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) -- The little-known parts of Detroit's history is the subject of a newly-released book.

Author -- and native Detroiter -- Ken Coleman said that his book "A Million Dollars Worth of Nerve" is about a segment of the Motor City's history you rarely read about these days.

"The book tells the story of Paradise Valley, Black Bottom and Detroit's lower east side -- how they came to be and the forces that caused their demise," Coleman said. "What I find is that a lot of Detroiters -- particularly millennials, whether they be black or white or others -- don't really know the history of the city."

Coleman said that he was moved to write about this segment of Detroit's history because it's just not known especially by millennials.

The book title refers to a quote by Louis E. Martin, the first editor of the Michigan Chronicle, where he talks about starting the newspaper in 1936 with "a cash budget of $135 and million dollars worth of nerve."

Coleman said that the book features 21 people who were power-brokers in the 30s, 40s and 50s. The Northwest Activities Center in Detroit is hosting a book signing at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

"Each of them in their own right helped to challenge authority and make a way out of no way," Coleman said. "Charles Roxborough, for example, an African-American lawyer, learned the Polish language and that helped him in 1930 to become Michigan's first black man to serve in the Senate."

In addition to the signing, the book is available at Coleman's website.

"A lot of this history I did not learn at a student, did not learn as an official at the schools and I just think that more people need to know it," Coleman said.

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