Coleman Young's testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee

**waketheherd** · June-21-11, 10:25 PM

I have heard that there was a recording made of his epic testimony - which included many heated verbal exchanges with southern legislators - on Feb. 28, 1952. Has anyone here ever heard the testimony? And is there anyway to obtain a copy?

**choralmike** · June-21-11, 10:51 PM

I recall that it was played on WDET at length on the day CAY died. It was great.

**professorscott** · June-21-11, 10:58 PM

Ah, yes, I remember the one southern Senator - can't recall which one - kept saying this and that about the "Nigras", as he was pronouncing it, and Young admonished him, "The word is 'negro'. Speak more clearly."

Then later, when asked whether he thought this or that activity was unamerican, replied with "I find these hearings to be unamerican".

I'm paraphrasing, my memory is not what it once was, but this is the way he was talking to the United States Senate, and God bless him for it.

**Al Publican** · June-21-11, 11:24 PM

I wonder how many folks out there voted for Coleman Young "once" in 1973. I felt Coleman was the right guy in '73, certainly over John Nichols, a rather bitter sounding Detroit cop. I think Coleman hit is political peak in his first term as mayor.

**professorscott** · June-22-11, 01:39 AM

Originally Posted by Al Publican

I wonder how many folks out there voted for Coleman Young "once" in 1973. I felt Coleman was the right guy in '73, certainly over John Nichols, a rather bitter sounding Detroit cop. I think Coleman hit is political peak in his first term as mayor.

First or possibly second. After that he was coasting. In 1973 he had a good idea of what the problems were; by 1980 the problems had changed but his opinions had not.

**Carey** · June-22-11, 08:34 AM

Young stayed in office at least two terms too long. But his accomplishments during his first two terms were numerous. I would say in those eight years he was the best mayor of Detroit since the decline began in the early 1950s. I emphasize those eight years.

I voted for him in 73, 77, 81 and 85. I wasn't enthusiastic about voting for him in 85, but his opponent, Tom Barrow, showed signs of the craziness that later made him the male version of Sharon McPhail.

By 89 I no longer was living in Detroit.

**rjk** · June-22-11, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by Carey

Young stayed in office at least two terms too long. But his accomplishments during his first two terms were numerous. I would say in those eight years he was the best mayor of Detroit since the decline began in the early 1950s. I emphasize those eight years.

I voted for him in 73, 77, 81 and 85. I wasn't enthusiastic about voting for him in 85, but his opponent, Tom Barrow, showed signs of the craziness that later made him the male version of Sharon McPhail.

By 89 I no longer was living in Detroit.

What were his accomplishments?

**Meddle** · June-22-11, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by rjk

What were his accomplishments?

None that I can think of beside being a thug and a crook. Compared to Young, Kwame was the most perfect, honest and honorable politician in the history of the world.

You can candy-coat his tyranny any way you want to, but he was definitely the beginning of the end of the City.

**ridgeabilly** · May-14-14, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

None that I can think of beside being a thug and a crook. Compared to Young, Kwame was the most perfect, honest and honorable politician in the history of the world.

You can candy-coat his tyranny any way you want to, but he was definitely the beginning of the end of the City.

A myopic and uneducated but prevalent viewpoint. The beginning of the end for the city began in the summer of 1925 at 2905 Garland Street. The systematic institutional racism and the inability of our leaders to combat has stymied this city for decades. If you are able, read " Arc of Justice ". Coleman was a product of our times, as we all are, but he didn't create the problem.

**Dan Wesson** · May-14-14, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by ridgeabilly

A myopic and uneducated but prevalent viewpoint. The beginning of the end for the city began in the summer of 1925 at 2905 Garland Street. The systematic institutional racism and the inability of our leaders to combat has stymied this city for decades. If you are able, read " Arc of Justice ". Coleman was a product of our times, as we all are, but he didn't create the problem.

Interesting tidbit...

The event that happened on Garland was also the genesis for this.

The original here, http://darrow.law.umn.edu/documents/...e_372_1927.pdf

**Lombaowski** · May-16-14, 02:26 AM

Originally Posted by ridgeabilly

A myopic and uneducated but prevalent viewpoint. The beginning of the end for the city began in the summer of 1925 at 2905 Garland Street. The systematic institutional racism and the inability of our leaders to combat has stymied this city for decades. If you are able, read " Arc of Justice ". Coleman was a product of our times, as we all are, but he didn't create the problem.

I agree that Coleman Young was a product of our times, but Detroit peaked much later than 1925 and to suggest any different is the definition of "myopic." There is little doubt the city peaked sometime in the 1950s, it was really the center of the industrial universe. Elm-lined streets, great neighborhoods, jobs a plenty. Where Detroit went wrong was the influx of poor southern trash, white or black, same thing. People with no skills, no future, no aspirations outside the lottery mentality converging on our fair city for the easy buck.

So for every ten upstanding, hard working, American dream living people, there were three or four bottom of the barrel humans. 7th-grade-educated, hand out, head in the sand, barely able to sustain person of disregard. Then they bred, they stood on the corner, they tried to work but were rebuffed because they lacked the essential makeup of what would be an average worker.

Then they reproduced. All the southern white hate for blacks multiplied, upstanding blacks were lumped in with trash blacks, everyone was afraid of one another, and the system collapsed.

Per the topic of the thread, Coleman Young exacerbated the problem with is free-wheeling approach to politics and lack of common sense. Detroit had transitioned from economic powerhouse to something America has never seen before. The auto industry was declining, the riots were fresh, and people were generally afraid of each other. The fair housing act was really the last straw IMO, people think it was the riots but the fair housing act really changed Detroit forever. Not saying it was a bad thing, it just wasn't what Detroit needed.

So Coleman took over and he made the tax base even more afraid than they already were. I was born a year before Young took office, and he was my mayor until I left in 1986. The crack epidemic was the final straw, but Coleman Young never really helped what ailed Detroit. By the time he was in his third term he was just coasting, and the city was on its' way to being broke forever.

Sure he did some good, how could he not have in 20+ years as the mayor. But he ignored the real problems of the city at the most critical time, and he was always searching for some fight to win. No one won, and everyone who ever lived in the city lost. Think all you want that the city was lost in 1925, the best years of the city occurred well after that date. To think otherwise is foolish IMO.

**EastsideAl** · May-17-14, 03:21 AM

Originally Posted by ridgeabilly

A myopic and uneducated but prevalent viewpoint. The beginning of the end for the city began in the summer of 1925 at 2905 Garland Street. The systematic institutional racism and the inability of our leaders to combat has stymied this city for decades. If you are able, read " Arc of Justice ". Coleman was a product of our times, as we all are, but he didn't create the problem.

I believe what ridgeabilly meant was that the events of that moment in 1925 on Garland started something that was never healed. Not that the city didn't prosper and grow from that point [[1925 was, in fact, near the height of the city's growth rate), but that the wheels set in motion then eventually overtook all else and stained nearly everything that happened thereafter.

I also agree with Wesley, for once, that Coleman Young, whatever his accomplishments, was not the best mayor for that period in the city's history. It was clear by the late '60s and early '70s that it was only a mater of time until a black mayor was elected in Detroit. But one does have to wonder how much the long-term outcome would have been affected had, say, Richard Austin [[definitely a more conciliatory figure) won the extremely close 1969 election and beaten Young to the mayoralty. Would so many white Detroiters have over-reacted so badly as they did after the much more divisive 1973 campaign?

**kraig** · June-22-11, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by rjk

What were his accomplishments?

Intergrated the Police and Fire departments along with other city departments. The Renaissance Center, Millender Center, Detroit One Center, the Madden Building, Joe Louis Arena, Police Mini Stations, revamped the civic center, brought in Southwest Airlines and actually got some use out of City Airport. Led the charge that integrated Wayne County Municipal Government. The People Mover [[ironically enough, his original plans, that were fought tooth and nail, called for the people mover to stretch all over the metro area). The Riverfront apartments, Virginia Park, Victoria Park. The Poletown Plant. Managed to have real Ethnic Festivals that ran every week for 5-6 months a year. And managed to have some of the most entertaining quotes that you'll ever hear.

Sure he had his failings, but he did manage to get some things accomplished. And they shouldn't be overlooked.

**Detroitnerd** · June-22-11, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by kraig

Intergrated the Police and Fire departments along with other city departments. The Renaissance Center, Millender Center, Detroit One Center, the Madden Building, Joe Louis Arena, Police Mini Stations, revamped the civic center, brought in Southwest Airlines and actually got some use out of City Airport. Led the charge that integrated Wayne County Municipal Government. The People Mover [[ironically enough, his original plans, that were fought tooth and nail, called for the people mover to stretch all over the metro area). The Riverfront apartments, Virginia Park, Victoria Park. The Poletown Plant. Managed to have real Ethnic Festivals that ran every week for 5-6 months a year. And managed to have some of the most entertaining quotes that you'll ever hear.

Sure he had his failings, but he did manage to get some things accomplished. And they shouldn't be overlooked.

His testimony before HUAC was his finest hour, but his reform of the DPD was overdue and very important. As for Poletown ... a good argument why he should have been a one-term mayor.

**kraig** · June-22-11, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

His testimony before HUAC was his finest hour, but his reform of the DPD was overdue and very important. As for Poletown ... a good argument why he should have been a one-term mayor.

While I listed it as one of his accomplishments, I do agree with your sentiments on the Poletown Plant. I've never been a fan of eminient domain, which is one of the problems I have with the DRIC. The similarities between the two are horrifying.

**Detroitej72** · June-22-11, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

Sure he had his failings, but he did manage to get some things accomplished. And they shouldn't be overlooked.

Don't forget that he regularly balanced the budgets as well. I remember during one of the elections, there were billboards around the city with a big smiling picture of him with the slogan, "The Money's Right", and went on to tout something like 5 straight balanced budgets.

**Patrick** · October-12-11, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

Intergrated the Police and Fire departments along with other city departments. The Renaissance Center, Millender Center, Detroit One Center, the Madden Building, Joe Louis Arena, Police Mini Stations, revamped the civic center, brought in Southwest Airlines and actually got some use out of City Airport. Led the charge that integrated Wayne County Municipal Government. The People Mover [[ironically enough, his original plans, that were fought tooth and nail, called for the people mover to stretch all over the metro area). The Riverfront apartments, Virginia Park, Victoria Park. The Poletown Plant. Managed to have real Ethnic Festivals that ran every week for 5-6 months a year. And managed to have some of the most entertaining quotes that you'll ever hear.

Sure he had his failings, but he did manage to get some things accomplished. And they shouldn't be overlooked.

The RencCen was all Henry Ford II really.

**dtowncitylover** · October-12-11, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by Patrick

The RencCen was all Henry Ford II really.

And the project began preparation under Roman Gribbs, CAY was just the mayor when it was finished.

**Lombaowski** · May-16-14, 02:00 AM

Originally Posted by rjk

What were his accomplishments?

/thread ended here

**Hypestyles** · June-22-11, 09:37 AM

besides barrow, were there ever any 'serious' rivals during his tenure?

**Meddle** · June-22-11, 12:49 PM

Y'all been drinkin' the Koolaid again.

The City Airport mess alone should have gotten Hizzonah tossed into river with an anchor around his neck.

**kraig** · June-22-11, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Y'all been drinkin' the Koolaid again.

The City Airport mess alone should have gotten Hizzonah tossed into river with an anchor around his neck.

Don't just leave us hanging. What happened with the Airport?

**Al Publican** · June-22-11, 01:31 PM

What became of Coleman's lover Ann Ivory? The last I heard, she landed a job with the City of Fontana, CA, maybe as director of parks and rec. Is Joel Loving, Coleman's son with Ann Ivory, the fella that changed his name to Coleman Young Jr. and the fella that ran for city council?

**kraig** · June-22-11, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by Al Publican

What became of Coleman's lover Ann Ivory? The last I heard, she landed a job with the City of Fontana, CA, maybe as director of parks and rec. Is Joel Loving, Coleman's son with Ann Ivory, the fella that changed his name to Coleman Young Jr. and the fella that ran for city council?

Coleman Young Jr. is now a State Senator in Michigan. His mother has been running his campaigns and has ran for offices herself.

**Swimmaven** · June-22-11, 01:43 PM

In the mid 70', my friend and I crashed some bigwig party downtown. We were cute young women who could get away with stuff like this.

We were standing somewhere when Coleman Young came out and we asked him if he would take a picture with us. He obliged. We were all arm-in-arm as the camera flashed. He had on body armor.

I have no idea where that picture is or I would post it. it's somewhere in my stuff.