Oak Park, Michigan
Encyclopedia
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,793 people, 11,104 households, and 7,595 families residing in the city. The population density
was 5,863.8 persons per square mile (2,291.5/km²). There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 2,263.9 per square mile (874.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 57.1% African American, 36.9% White, 0.17% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races
, and 4.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.
As of the census of 2010, there are 29,319 people, 11,719 households, and 7,533 families residing in the city. There were 12,782 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 57.44% African American, 37.39% White, 0.22% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races
, and 3.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.
There were 11,104 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples
living together, 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,697, and the median income for a family was $54,786. Males had a median income of $40,922 versus $35,968 for females.
Clinton School was made a Junior High School and another was built in the mid 1960s, then named for the great poet Robert Frost
. At that time, there was only one school in Oak Park with a "special education" department for children with learning disabilities: Lessenger Elementary School on Albany St. at Sunset St. Consequently, many families with such special children gravitated to the neighborhood surrounding Lessenger, creating a "cluster" of such families rarely found elsewhere.
Educational achievement was the long consistent pattern in Oak Park. Over 85% of Oak Park High School graduates continued their education immediately after high school, whether in college, or in trade or vocational schools. The school system was renowned statewide for decades in large part due to the efforts of often wildly progressive and dedicated teachers.
Students residing between 10 and 11 mile are districted into the Berkley School District, while the rest (majority) of the city is in Oak Park Schools.
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5,863.8 persons per square mile (2,291.5/km²). There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 2,263.9 per square mile (874.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 57.1% African American, 36.9% White, 0.17% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.
As of the census of 2010, there are 29,319 people, 11,719 households, and 7,533 families residing in the city. There were 12,782 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 57.44% African American, 37.39% White, 0.22% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.
There were 11,104 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 19.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,697, and the median income for a family was $54,786. Males had a median income of $40,922 versus $35,968 for females.
Notable residents
- Well-known Detroit actors Rubin and Liz Weiss lived in Oak Park during the middle twentieth century
- Robert EttingerRobert EttingerRobert Chester Wilson Ettinger was an American academic, known as "the father of cryonics" because of the impact of his 1962 book The Prospect of Immortality...
, known as the father of cryonics human preservation, lived in Oak Park for decades and was rumored to have deceased clients stored in his home, awaiting their cures and re-animation. - Al KalineAl KalineAlbert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
, Detroit Tiger baseball legend and Hall of Fame member lived on Morton Street between Sunset and Albany in the late 1950s. - Royce da 5'9", rapper
- Norm CashNorm CashNorman Dalton Cash was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
, another Tiger baseball legend from the same era, lived a couple of blocks from his teammate, on Sloman Street between Jerome and Saratoga. - David Weiss (a.k.a. David WasDavid WasDavid Was is, with his stage-brother Don Was, the founder of the 1980s pop group, Was .Was was born in Detroit, Michigan...
) and Don Fagenson (a.k.a. Don WasDon WasDon Was is an American musician, bassist and record producer.-Life and career:Was was born in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Oak Park High School in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, then attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor but dropped out after the first year...
) from the group Was (Not Was)Was (Not Was)-Studio albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Contributions:* A Christmas Record - "Christmas Time In The Motor City"* That's The Way I Feel Now: A Tribute to Thelonious Monk - "Ba-Lue-Bolivar-Ba-Lues-Are"...
grew up together in Oak Park. - Jeffrey SachsJeffrey SachsJeffrey David Sachs is an American economist and Director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University. One of the youngest economics professors in the history of Harvard University, Sachs became known for his role as an adviser to Eastern European and developing country governments in the...
, famous economist formerly at Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and currently at Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
is a graduate of Oak Park High School. - Attorney Geoffrey FiegerGeoffrey FiegerGeoffrey Fieger is an American attorney based in Southfield, Michigan. Fieger is the senior partner at the law firm of Fieger, Fieger, Kenney, Johnson & Giroux and is an occasional legal commentator for NBC and MSNBC...
who represented Jack KevorkianJack KevorkianJacob "Jack" Kevorkian , commonly known as "Dr. Death", was an American pathologist, euthanasia activist, painter, composer and instrumentalist. He is best known for publicly championing a terminal patient's right to die via physician-assisted suicide; he said he assisted at least 130 patients to...
grew up in Oak Park and graduated from Oak Park High School in 1969. - Geoffrey's younger brother Doug FiegerDoug FiegerDouglas Lars "Doug" Fieger was an American singer-songwriter-musician. He was the lead singer of the power pop band The Knack, and co-wrote "My Sharona", the biggest hit song of 1979 in the USA, with lead guitarist, Berton Averre.-Life and career:Fieger's father was Jewish, and his mother of...
was the lead singer of the group The KnackThe KnackThe Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
whose hit songs are (among others) "My SharonaMy Sharona"My Sharona" is the debut single by The Knack, released in 1979 from their album Get the Knack. It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart where it remained for six weeks and was #1 on Billboards Top Pop Singles of 1979 year-end chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry...
" and "Good Girls Don't (But I do)". - Curt Sobel, Composer, Film Music Editor and Supervisor, grew up in Oak Park and lived on Northfield and Harding.
- Author and editor Ron SureshaRon SureshaRon Jackson Suresha is an American author and anthologist of books centering on gay and bisexual men's subcultures, particularly the Bear community.-Biography:Suresha was born in Detroit, Michigan...
attended grade school in Oak Park and was graduated from OPHS. - Mort Meisner, noted Detroit media guru, lived on Sunset Street.
- Bob BlackBob BlackBob Black is an American anarchist. He is the author of The Abolition of Work and Other Essays, Beneath the Underground, Friendly Fire, Anarchy After Leftism, and numerous political essays.-Writing:Some of his work from the early 1980s includes...
, who grew up in Oak Park and lived on Kipling Street, graduating from Oak Park High School, is a prominent theorist of the international anarchist movement, and the author of the widely disseminated essay "The Abolition of Work." - Peter WerbePeter WerbePeter Werbe is a radio talk show host and political activist. He hosts Nightcall Sunday nights on Detroit's WRIF 101.1 FM. Werbe's tenure, having commenced in 1970, makes him one of the longest broadcasting talk show hosts in radio history.-Nightcall:...
is a radio talk show host, DJ, and political activist. He has lived in Oak Park for 26 years. He hosts NightCall on Sunday nights on Detroit's WRIF 101.1 FM. Werbe's tenure, having commenced in 1970, makes him one of the longest broadcasting talk show hosts in radio history, and certainly for one with progressive views. He also has been a staff member of the 45-year-old newspaper, The Fifth Estate. He is also the host of a daily five hour alternative classic rock show on WCSX HD2's Deep Trax http://www.wcsxdeeptrax.com channel. - Dan and Tracee MillerDan John MillerDan John Miller is an American singer-songwriter and actor from Detroit, Michigan. He is currently the guitarist and lead vocalist for the gothic country-garage band Blanche...
are musicians in the band Blanche who currently reside in Oak Park. Dan Milller also made his acting debut in Walk The Line playing Luther Perkins, and Tracee is a notable Detroit artist. - Joseph BruceJoseph BruceJoseph Frank "Joe" Bruce is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler and actor. Bruce is most commonly known as Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse . He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow ICP rapper Joseph Utsler and their former manager,...
(Violent J) and Joseph UtslerJoseph UtslerJoseph William "Joey" Utsler is an American rapper, record producer, DJ, professional wrestler and actor. Utsler is known as Shaggy 2 Dope of the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse. He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow Insane Clown Posse rapper Joseph Bruce and...
(Shaggy 2 Dope), better known as Insane Clown PosseInsane Clown PosseInsane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
met in Oak Park, a suburb on the North border of Detroit, Michigan. Along with Utsler's brother, John, and friend, Lacy, they wrestled in backyard rings that they had built themselves.[2] In 1989, Joseph Bruce, as Jagged Joe, Joseph Utsler, as Kangol Joe, and John Utsler, as Master J, released the single titled "Party at the Top of the Hill" under the name of JJ Boys, but the group did not pursue a serious career in music.
Education
Oak Park's educational history began with the Clinton School, a one-room schoolhouse on property donated by Barney Clinton in the early 1900s. As the population grew fast, Clinton School grew and more elementary schools were built.Clinton School was made a Junior High School and another was built in the mid 1960s, then named for the great poet Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
. At that time, there was only one school in Oak Park with a "special education" department for children with learning disabilities: Lessenger Elementary School on Albany St. at Sunset St. Consequently, many families with such special children gravitated to the neighborhood surrounding Lessenger, creating a "cluster" of such families rarely found elsewhere.
Educational achievement was the long consistent pattern in Oak Park. Over 85% of Oak Park High School graduates continued their education immediately after high school, whether in college, or in trade or vocational schools. The school system was renowned statewide for decades in large part due to the efforts of often wildly progressive and dedicated teachers.
Students residing between 10 and 11 mile are districted into the Berkley School District, while the rest (majority) of the city is in Oak Park Schools.