Willie Horton and the '67 Riots

[Gary]

I have no reason to doubt Willie's word if he says he was there.

I recall seeing photos of John Conyers also trying to quell the rioting. He was down on 12th St. standing on top of a car using a bull horn, pleading with everyone to disperse and go home. He got his answer when the crowd started booing and pelting him with rocks and bottles. He beat a hasty retreat out of there and the rioting continued on as before.

[Beech Cricker]

I have no reason to doubt Willie's word if he says he was there.

I recall seeing photos of John Conyers also trying to quell the rioting. He was down on 12th St. standing on top of a car using a bull horn, pleading with everyone to disperse and go home. He got his answer when the crowd started booing and pelting him with rocks and bottles. He beat a hasty retreat out of there and the rioting continued on as before.

I too really want to believe Willie. He was one of my heroes while growing up in the 1970s. I'm just looking for confirmation other than Willie's own words. Surely some witness has spoken about this...but where is it documented? That is what I am seeking.

I DO remember seeing coverage of Conyers' ill-fated involvement in the Detroit dailies of the time. Which makes the Willie matter even more mysterious--why did the press cover a blowhard politician but not a local hero's involvement? It wasn't as if the west side riot zone was so spread out making media coverage impossible. But yes, I do understand the pressure the media types were under with their own personal safeties at stake.