What is The Hustle?
The Hustle amplifies inspiring stories of Detroiters who may have never expected to see themselves celebrated in a historical museum. Building on the success of the project’s first round, we will tell the stories of Detroit’s outstanding BIPOC entrepreneurs, crowdsourced from the community.
What's different this time compared to the first?
Like the previous round, this multi-faceted project will include a series of quarterly exhibitions at the Detroit Historical Museum, which will be complemented by public events and education programs. However, for this round of The Hustle, all Detroit-based entrepreneurs of color – not just Black-identifying entrepreneurs – will be eligible for nomination.
Are there any other rules about who can be nominated?
BIPOC entrepreneurs or business owners (Black or other persons of color) 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.
Why are you only honoring business owners of color?
Detroit has been a majority-Black city for more than 40 years. By a large margin, its small businesses are owned by Black Detroiters or other persons of color, 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 firms, and we believe that their stories are rich, educational, and deserving of wide recognition.
What do the winners receive?
The final honorees will be featured in rotating exhibits at the Detroit Historical Museum, beginning in Fall 2026 and continuing through Spring/Summer 2027. Exhibitions 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 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.