Forging Identity: The Story of Carlos Nielblock’s Detroit
Celebrate the launch of Forging Identity with us at the UMDC!
An urban sociologist befriends visionary Detroit artist and inventor Carlos Nielbock, whose life experiences reflect the challenges facing the city. Over several years, Paul Draus chronicles Nielbock’s mixed-race upbringing in postwar Germany, his search for his Black father in 1980s Detroit, and his artistic vision for the city’s future. Drawing on interviews, research, and sociological context, the book explores themes of race, identity, craftsmanship, capitalism, and criminal justice.