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Bill “the dean of Detroit photography” Rauhauser left a lasting impact on both the photography community and cultural history of Detroit.

He documented Detroit through his lens from the 1940s until his death in 2017, presenting to the world the city he knew and loved. He was able to capture the human experience in the city during rapid change and racial divisions.

Not only was he nationally recognized for his work, he helped uplift a generation of photographers, teaching as a professor at the College for Creative Studies for more than 30 years, and a guest lecturer at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan. 

Coup D’état, a boutique store in Detroit’s East English Village neighborhood, will be hosting an exhibit of Rauhauser’s work, titled “Bill Rauhauser: A Retrospective,” beginning at 5 p.m. this Saturday, March 29. The exhibition is a partnership between Coup D’état and Hill Gallery in Birmingham.

Angela Wisniewski-Cobbina, owner of Coup D’état, joined The Metro this week to discuss the exhibit, which will feature 23 of Rauhauser’s pieces that showcase his dedication to capturing raw, authentic moments and everyday life in Detroit.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Thursday, March 27, 2025.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

For many Arab Americans in Southeast Michigan, Dearborn is a point of pride. For decades, immigrants from across the Arab world have left an imprint on the suburb bordering Detroit that continues to widen and deepen.

Today, the city, which has an Arab majority, reflects the rich historical, cultural and ethnic diversity of the Arab world.

It is also home to the Arab American National Museum.

A new exhibit at the museum gives us a window into Dearborn’s Southend neighborhood. It is an area that Arab Americans fought to protect amid a zoning battle that lasted from the 1950s to the 70s. They fought against a city plan that would have turned the area into a major industrial hub. 

“Seeing the Southend” includes photographs by Tony Maine depicting Yemeni and Lebanese people living ordinary lives in the Southend neighborhood during the 1960s and 70s. In this way, there is beauty in the mundane, said Rasha Almulaiki, who will moderate a discussion during the show’s opening on March 6. The photos, she said, show Arab American life that is seldom seen but vital to unraveling persistent stereotypes.

Exhibit curator Dean Nessredine and Almulaiki joined the show to discuss what we can learn from these photos of thriving, everyday Arab immigrants and why the exhibit is important to view now.

Use the media player above to hear the conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.