For many years the Detroit Public Schools (now Detroit Public Schools Community District) Social Studies departments wrote a book guiding students through the structure of Detroit’s government and “community civics.” The book, and corresponding civics course, was taught in Detroit schools as early as 1938 and, to our knowledge, the final class occurred in the late 1970’s. There were at least eight editions of this book and now a 21st Century edition is building upon this history. Each of these editions has been the result of a collaborative effort between many people with the support of local institutions such as the school district, the City of Detroit, and philanthropies. Each of these editions also reflect the times in which they were created and the unique circumstances of the city during that time. However a few key components have remained the same. These manuals:
- Teach about the structure of Detroit’s government (and it’s connection to our State and Federal governments)
- Explore the unique community interests of Detroit
- Encourage and inspire participation in our local civic community–from government to community associations