Upcoming Detroit News photo book offers 'front row seat to history'

Known for having a fascinating past and a compelling present, key moments from the Motor City were curated for the new book, “150 Years of Detroit History: Through the Lens of The Detroit News” (Pediment Publishing; $44.95). Filled with historic images and headlines that highlight the unique history of the city, the 160-page collectors’ edition features award-winning journalism and photojournalism. Historic images include iconic landmarks, such as Michigan Central Station and the Ambassador Bridge.

The new title also features a foreword by Gary Miles, editor and publisher for The News. “I’m excited we were able to pull together a book reflecting on 150 years of history we have documented with the archival photos. It’s a rich coffee table-type book helpful for anybody who really appreciates Detroit,” he says.

“It’s not a heavy lift. It’s told in pictorial form with heavy cutlines and chapters that more or less follow the decades,” adds Miles. “The proceeds go to charity and it can be a keepsake for those who have a history with The Detroit News or those who had Detroit play a role in their lives.”

Caitlin Waite, acquisition editor for Pediment Publishing in Vancouver, Washington, also worked with The News on the ‘40s and ‘50s book last year. “This is a little bit different because it’s not as specified decade wise. It includes the whole time the newspaper has been in business,” she says.

In the new book, Waite says you get a feel for the progress of the area as well as the continued struggles. “Some themes come up again, like auto industry workers’ rights and civil human rights. That’s what I took away from it. You can see how the city has developed from its inception,” adds Waite.

“From a visual perspective, the photos are beautiful and they are all high-quality images from Detroit News photographers. It’s always great when you can get images from a local newspaper that are sharp and clear and get in more of the action of current events.”

Historic moments from the past include local and national events that join more recent front pages, from the moon landing to the Kennedy assassination. “There were so many great photos we had to put aside to pick the most striking and the most relevant,” Waite says.

Charlotte Massey of Royal Oak, who worked as a photo editor at The News for 18 years before retiring at the end of 2016, did archival research and editing for the book. Massey, who also worked on two previous books of Detroit News photo history, says, what makes this particular title unique is that it goes all the way to the current times.

Massey, who also worked at Reuters, says, “Journalism is like a front row seat to history. I had that front row seat for a really long time, so I have a sense of what history to include.”

She also knows what makes the location stand out. “Detroit has a sense of history and vitality. This is an incredibly vibrant and influential city that has had its ups and downs,” says Massey. “The book shows that we are all humans, no matter what we’ve been through.”

It might fall into the coffee table book category, but she says it contains historic content and substance. “It has politics, union strikes and daily struggles and includes everyone from Coleman Young to Rosa Parks to Bob Seger,” says Massey. “It’s a testament to the Detroit spirit and its resilience that held together despite everything.”

▶ ORDER NOW for a pre-order price of $33.71 (plus tax and shipping) and save 25% off the publication price. Books will be shipped in mid-August. To purchase, go to detroitnews150.pictorialbook.com.

▶ MORE DETROIT NEWS HISTORY: We celebrate our 150th year

Jeanine Matlow is a Metro Detroit interior decorator turned freelance writer specializing in stories about interior design. You can reach her atjeaninematlow@earthlink.net.