Disappearing cities of the United States: Hamtramck Michigan bans LBGTQ+ and Pride flags on public property

Hamtramck has lost 50% of its population since its 1930 peak.

Sources:  Wikipedia, U.S. Census Bureau Quickfacts

WATE, 6/14/2023

Hamtramck, population 27,000, is an enclave surrounded by Detroit. More than 40% of residents were born in other countries, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and a significant share are of Yemeni or Bangladeshi descent. 

The council voted unanimously to display only five flags, including the American flag, the Michigan flag and one that represents the native countries of immigrant residents. 

Mayor Amer Ghalib made the flag a campaign issue when then-Mayor Karen Majewski flew one on city property in 2021.

Original 4/5/2019 post starts here

It all started here.

The New York Times, 3/6/2019

Hamtramck’s transformation in recent decades is well documented and obvious. Storefronts now display signs in Arabic or Bengali. A main road was given an honorary name, “Bangladesh Avenue.” And after the 2015 election, Hamtramck’s City Council became the country’s first with a Muslim majority, a milestone that drew unwanted media attention and critical social media posts from ex-residents who left decades ago.

Source:  Wikipedia

Hamtramck's population peaked at 56,268 in 1930. Its 2017 estimated population is 21,752 -- a drop of 34,516 (61%).

Incorporated as a village in 1901 and a city in 1922, the City of Hamtramck is surrounded by Detroit, except for a small shared border with its western neighbor Highland Park.

Source:  Georgetown Public Policy Review

Related articles:
Michigan Town is Left Pleading for Bankruptcy.  (The New York Times, 12/27/2010)

Hamtramck (pronounced ham-TRAM-eck) did not anticipate its current circumstances. Officials in Detroit announced this year that they had for years overpaid Hamtramck in a revenue-sharing deal related to a General Motors plant that sits smack on the border of the two cities. The dispute is likely to be resolved, eventually, in court, but meanwhile, Detroit has stopped paying $2 million a year, and Hamtramck is watching a growing gap in its $18 million budget.

The story of Hamtramck, Michigan's Ellis Island, as Trump takes power.  (Detroit Free Press, 2/4/2017)

From the Polish immigrants who forged Hamtramck's history and character over most of the 20th Century, leading to the city's former motto of "A Touch of Europe in America," to those who followed — Albanians, those from the former Yugoslavia, Indians and now Yemenis and Bangladeshis — leading the city to change its motto to "A League of Nations," immigrants always have been a large part of the fabric of Hamtramck.

Disappearing cities of the Mountain State

Incorporated as Aracome in 1953 and renamed in 1907, the City of Logan is the county seat of Logan County and is located 57 SW of Charleston.

Other disappearing West Virginia cities:
Bluefield.  (3/20/2019)
Charleston.  (3/14/2019)
Clarksburg.  (3/19/2019)
Fairmont.  (3/18/2019)
Huntington.  (3/15/2019)
Logan.  (3/22/2019)
Parkersburg. (3/16/2019)
South Charleston.  (3/21/2019)
Weirton.  (3/17/2019)
Wheeling  (1/16/2019)

                    Disappearing cities of the Buckeye State

Source:  Cleveland Plain Dealer

Other disappearing cities of the Buckeye State:
Akron. (2/28/2019)
Brook Park (3/3/2019)
Cambridge.  (2/27/2019)
Canton.  (3/1/2019)
Cleveland.  (1/2/2019)
Cleveland Heights.  (3/5/2019)
East Cleveland. (3/2/2019)
East Liverpool.  (2/18/2019)
Euclid.  (3/4/2019)
Gallipolis.  (2/23/2019)
Garfield Heights (3/6/2019)
Ironton.  (2/24/2019)
Lakewood.  (3/8/2019)
Maple Heights, 3/7/2019)
Martins Ferry.  (2/21/2019)
Parma.  (3/9/2019)
Pomeroy.  (2/22/2019)
Portsmouth.  (2/25/2019)
Steubenville.  (2/20/2019)
Warren.  (1/18/2019)
Youngstown.  (1/9/2019)
Zanesville.  (2/26/2019)

Disappearing cities and boroughs of the Keystone State

Aliquippa.  (1/12/2019)
Ambridge.  (1/17/2019)
Arnold.  (1/18/2019)
Braddock.  (1/19/2019)
Bradford, (1/20/2019)
Carbondale.  (1/21/2019)
Charleroi.  (1/22/2019)
Chester.  (1/23/2019)
Clairton.  (1/24/2019)
Coraopolis.  (1/25/2019)
Dickson City.  (1/26/2019)
Donora.  (1/27/2019)
Duquesne.  (1/28/2019)
Farrell.  (1/29/2019)
Harrisburg.  (2/12/2019)
Homestead.  (1/30/2019)
Johnstown.  (1/6/2019)
McKees Rocks.  (1/31/2019)
McKeesport.  (2/1/2019)
Monessen.  (2/2/2019)
Nanticoke.  (2/3/2019)
New Castle.  (2/4/2019)
New Kensington.  (2/5/2019)
Oil City.  (2/6/2019)
Pittsburgh.  (1/13/2019)
Pittston. (2/7/2019)
Scranton.  (1/14/2019)
Shamokin.  (2/8/2019)
Sharon.  (2/9/2019)
Steelton.  (2/11/2019)
Swissvale.  (2/13/2019)
Titusville.  (2/10/2019)
Uniontown.  (2/14/2019)
Washington.  (2/15/2019)
Willkes-Barre.  (2/16/2019)
Wiklinsburg.  (2/17/2018)

Other U.S. disappearing cities

Baltimore, Maryland.  (12/31/2018)
Benton Harbor, Michigan.  (1/15/2019)
Buffalo, New York, (1/8/2019)
Cairo, Illinois.   (1/5/2019)
Detroit, Michigan.  (1/1/2019)
East St. Louis, Illinois.  (1/11/2019)
Flint, Michigan.  (1/7/2019)
Gary, Indiana.  (1/4/2019)
St. Louis, Missouri.  (1/2/2019)