At first glance, one might think the young man standing at the exhibit in Cobo Hall during Detroit’s NAACP Freedom Weekend was manning the booth for a seasoned and senior African American historian. However, Darian Graves, noted author and CEO of DVG Designs, is a knowledgeable history buff capable of engaging the listener in an incomparably impassioned discussion about the history of black people prior to slavery. The history lesson is nothing less than mesmerizing, and the fascinating artifacts and authentic artwork surrounding the self-styled African expert keep you glued to the spot while he enlightens you regarding the plight of African Americans from the beginning to the present.
I can’t believe that Egyptologists can look at 3,500 years of tomb paintings and dozens of dark black mummies … and think that all blacks are savages and had nothing to do with this sophisticated culture,” says Graves emphatically.
Graves has managed to fit volumes of information on the facade of his celebrated T-shirts and artwork, as well as in his book, The African Truth, which offers a detailed account of African American culture from Egypt to Detroit. His passion for history is only rivaled by his passion for Detroit. “Detroit is the most American city in the United States … no city west of the East Coast colonies is older than Detroit … which started the Industrial Revolution,” says the entrepreneur.
Graves touts the city’s residents – from auto workers to Motown recording artists – for their contributions to the country. “Detroit was and still is the heartbeat of America. What makes Detroit wonderful is the people; people that put family, education and human rights first,” he says. -roz edward
