The Detroit Badman Archive grows through community contributions. If you know of a figure—real or fictional—who embodies the badman tradition in Detroit, we want to hear from you.
Your submission serves as a research lead. Our team will conduct independent verification and in-depth research before adding approved figures to the archive. This process ensures scholarly rigor while honoring community knowledge.
What happens after you submit: You'll receive an email confirming whether your submission has been approved for research. Once the figure is live in the archive, you'll receive a second notification with a direct link to the entry.
Submissions are evaluated against five criteria that define the badman tradition:
1. Outlaw Relationship to Law: Does the figure operate outside or against legal systems?
2. Community Authorization: Does the figure have recognition and support from Black communities?
3. Violence as Language: Does the figure use force as a mode of expression or resistance?
4. Cultural Preservation Function: Does the figure play a role in maintaining Black cultural knowledge?
5. Hypermasculine Performance: Does the figure embody Black masculine heroic ideals?
Click the button below to access the submission form. You'll be asked to provide: