Library Street Collective is pleased to announce the debut of a new commission by photographer L. Kasimu Harris in the Belt for Public Matter this August. Since 2018, Harris has been developing his Vanishing Black Bars series, chronicling the disappearance of Black-owned bars across his hometown of New Orleans and the country. During Spring 2025, Harris visited Detroit, documenting the interior life of Black-owned bars across the city, including Jolly Old Timers and Zell’s Corner, while getting to know the owners and patrons of these establishments. Vanishing Black Bars & Lounges: Detroit aims to document the business owners and communities who have held strong despite the changing landscapes of Detroit.

Alongside these new photographs, Harris will include one advertisement, where he reimagines a vintage liquor ad that features iconography that embodies the city’s unique style and history. This ad is steeped in the spirit of Anansi, the trickster in West African folklore, while subversively addressing gentrification.

“Detroit has always been a mythical city to me. From the  audaciousness of gators and furs, to the unmistakable sound of Motown, the classic cars that Black assembly line workers  built while simultaneously building the Black middle class of the Motor City, and transforming America,” Harris said. “Detroit reminds me of my home, New Orleans—unapologetically Black and ever changing—both places where too many of our stories were never told. As I traveled throughout the African Diaspora and learned stories of Black bars, I knew the narrative would be incomplete without Detroit.”

Public Matter: L. Kasimu Harris will be on view at the Belt from Summer 2025 through Summer 2027. On Sunday, September 13, 2026, stop by the Belt to experience the exhibition before heading to the Detroit Lions vs. New Orleans Saints game at 1:00 p.m.