Celebrating the 324th anniversary of the city of Detroit’s founding and impact on United States culture.

Celebrating the 324th anniversary of the city of Detroit’s founding and impact on United States culture.

Whereas, on July 24, 1701, Detroit was established by French military leader and trader, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac;

Whereas Detroit is the oldest major city in the Midwest;

Whereas Detroit was a major station on the Underground Railroad in the 19th century, paving the way forward for thousands of enslaved Americans to freedom;

Whereas, in 1909, Detroit became the first city in the world to build a mile-long concrete highway;

Whereas Detroit serves as a major source of automobile innovation, having been the birthplace of Henry Ford’s Model T automobile, and hosts the three major automotive companies: General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler);

Whereas, in 1920, Detroit became the first city to use three-colored four-way traffic lights;

Whereas, in August 1920, Detroit became home to the first government-licensed radio station in the United States;

Whereas Detroit became known as the “Arsenal of Democracy” during World War II, as its industrial base, particularly the automotive factories of Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler, was rapidly converted to produce tanks, airplanes, trucks, and other critical military equipment, making Detroit essential to the Allied victory;

Whereas Detroit is home to the United Auto Workers Union, which has championed workers’ rights and played a vital role in supporting wartime production and postwar labor protections;

Whereas Detroit is the birthplace of Motown Records, which launched the careers of music legends like Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, and transformed American musical culture;

Whereas, in the 1980s, “techno” music originated from Detroit;

Whereas Detroit is home to the famous Detroit-Style Pizza, said to have been first served around 1946;

Whereas Belle Isle Park, located in the Detroit River, is the largest city-owned park in the Nation and serves as a treasured green space for residents and visitors alike;

Whereas Detroit’s Eastern Market is the largest open-air, wholesale and retail market in the United States;

Whereas Detroit hosts the largest free jazz festival in the world, the Detroit Jazz Festival, every Labor Day weekend;

Whereas Detroit is home to a proud sports legacy, featuring the NFL Detroit Lions, MLB Detroit Tigers, NHL Detroit Red Wings, and the NBA Detroit Pistons, with Detroit to soon host a WNBA team starting in 2029;

Whereas Detroit serves as a hub for trade between the United States and Canada, and the Ambassador Bridge is the busiest international crossing in North America; and

Whereas Detroit has a vibrant and diverse population that reflects the cultural richness of the African American, White, Latino, Arab American, and immigrant communities that have shaped the city’s character: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) celebrates the 324th anniversary of the founding of Detroit;

(2) recognizes the important contributions the city of Detroit has made to American culture and identity; and

(3) honors the contributions of Detroit’s residents, past and present, to the Nation’s industrial strength, civil rights movements, labor reforms, and artistic legacy.