Long before the city of Detroit rebranded itself, a tight-knit neighborhood on the far east side decided to make a name for itself. The community formerly known as NEAR (Neighborhood East Area Residents) wanted a name that could state their wishes, dreams, hopes and struggles aloud.
A name cooler and brighter than its predecessor.
The neighborhood held a contest, similar to neighboring communities like present-day Eastpointe and East English Village. They chose MorningSide, a name that captured what it was like to experience a bright morning on the sunrise side of the city ... or the warmth of neighborly goodness.
The people of MorningSide wanted to designate their community as a site for new beginnings. In this episode, MorningSide native Lauren Gray and her father, Gary Gray, recall how their neighbor, Earl Jones, named the whole neighborhood.
