On our walk to Detroit's water front we passed by the sculpture of a large iron fist, pictured above. It is called, appropriately enough, The Fist. The sculpture is a tribute to Joe Lewis who fought Jim Crow laws inside and outside the ring. It is symbolically aimed against racial injustice.
We finally made it to the riverfront! The cityscape is that of Windsor, Canada. Seeing the boats on the Detroit River reminded me of the boat rides which my family took over to Boblo Island amusement park.
That park is now closed and the island is being redeveloped. I think we must have traveled over to Canada several times in my youth- I do remember also traveling the Detroit-Windsor underground tunnel.
Along the river walk is a tribute to the Underground Railroad. Until the Emancipation Act it served as a gateway to freedom for thousands of American escaping from slavery. Detroit was one of the largest terminals of the United States for the railroad. Detroit's code name was "midnight". You may notice three symbols on each side of the sculpture at the feet of the figures. Those were the clues along the paths leading to Canada, pointing the fugitives toward the correct direction of their destination. Under the statue is also a map of America showing routes throughout our country of the Underground Railroad.
The sun was hot overhead as we hiked along the river. It was time to move on, maybe take a break at the Chase building. What a welcoming ambiance downtown Detroit has, as evidenced by the picture below.
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