1980 GOP Convention - Detroit

**Ray1936** · August-29-12, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Those were the "good ole days" weren't they Ray?? BTW, nice mugshot

Damn, I was beautiful back then. Just a grumpy old man now.

**cman710** · August-29-12, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Detroit was just as black then as it is now, I agree it wasn't as poor though. More people were working.

in 1980, the percentage of white residents of Detroit was much, much higher than now, at about 34%. I prepared the following chart from the 1980 census data, which can be found at this link.

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**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-29-12, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by cman710

in 1980, the percentage of white residents of Detroit was much, much higher than now, at about 34%. I prepared the following chart from the 1980 census data, which can be found at this link.

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I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm saying blacks were still in the majority then as they are now.

Shollin · August-29-12, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm saying blacks were still in the majority then as they are now.

Detroit had 3 times as many white then as they do now. You said they had just as many blacks as they do now. That is false.

**downtownguy** · August-29-12, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

Damn, I was beautiful back then. Just a grumpy old man now.

I wouldn't go so far as to say you were beautiful, but you sure looked like a cop!

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-29-12, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

Detroit had 3 times as many white then as they do now. You said they had just as many blacks as they do now. That is false.

Go to post #22. You added the 3 times more whites. Which is probably true, but blacks were still the majority then as they are now. Learn how to read.

Shollin · August-29-12, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Go to post #22. You added the 3 times more whites. Which is probably true, but blacks were still the majority then as they are now. Learn how to read.

You said and I quote "Detroit was just as black then as it is now" that is simply not true. Detroit is 83% black. In 1980 it was 63% black. That's a 20% difference. This isn't hard to understand. Perhaps you should either A) learn to type better, or B) take your own advice and learn how to read.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-30-12, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by Shollin

You said and I quote "Detroit was just as black then as it is now" that is simply not true. Detroit is 83% black. In 1980 it was 63% black. That's a 20% difference. This isn't hard to understand. Perhaps you should either A) learn to type better, or B) take your own advice and learn how to read.

Does 63% and 83% constitute the majority population as being black? Your argument is off base. I saw the chart. So the white populace was more then then it is now, and blacks were still the majority, still doesn't comprehend to you? You can also say that more blacks have left Detroit from 2000 to 2010, and moved to the suburbs, but the majority in Detroit proper are still black. What I stated was very clear. Quit trying to be politically correct.

**56packman** · August-30-12, 10:17 AM

It should be remembered that the 1980 GOP convention was the reason the Joe Louis Arena was built, we needed an arena large enough to host the event, going to Olympia [[an option when the convention was in the planning/bidding stage years earlier) was not an acceptible option and CAY and minions [[Emmit Moten, mainly) moved heaven and earth to get Joe Louis built. This explains why it is such a substandard facility, the dangerious steps to elevate the concorse level [[which was cheaper than excavating) and the other economy measures made it "a product for a price, in time". I remember hanging out downtown, it was a good time, lots happening.

Shollin · August-30-12, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Does 63% and 83% constitute the majority population as being black? Your argument is off base. I saw the chart. So the white populace was more then then it is now, and blacks were still the majority, still doesn't comprehend to you? You can also say that more blacks have left Detroit from 2000 to 2010, and moved to the suburbs, but the majority in Detroit proper are still black. What I stated was very clear. Quit trying to be politically correct.

My exact quote was Detroit wasn't quite as black as it is now. That is a true statement based on census data. What does it have to do with being politically correct? What i stated was very clear. You said Detroit was just as black in 1980 as is today. That is false. The census shows that. Quit trying to be wrong.

**EastsideAl** · August-30-12, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by cman710

EastsideAl,

Do you still have a copy of the "sort of documentary" that you spent the summer making? It would be fascinating to see some video footage from that time period.

I wish I did. I may still have some pieces of it on old tapes in my parent's basement on the east side. But the final copy, such as it was [[we ran out of both time and money), went to my professors in the communications department at MSU, and, after that, who knows?

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-30-12, 03:44 PM

Originally Posted by Shollin

My exact quote was Detroit wasn't quite as black as it is now. That is a true statement based on census data. What does it have to do with being politically correct? What i stated was very clear. You said Detroit was just as black in 1980 as is today. That is false. The census shows that. Quit trying to be wrong.

I'm going to make like "Smokey the Bear" and put out this fire. You can have your interpretation, and I'll have mine. End of story.

**Crew** · August-31-12, 11:51 AM

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Stadium Cushion I found in my house when I moved in a few years ago. Interesting politics at the time. Someone really hated Jimmy Carter!

**downtownguy** · August-31-12, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Crew

Interesting politics at the time. Someone really hated Jimmy Carter!

Has it changed much?

**kenp** · August-31-12, 01:54 PM

wow, thats funny. That things 32 years old, what a cool find.

**suitsoot** · September-03-12, 02:02 PM

I was a teenager, but wound up in Joe Louis for the last night where Reagan gave his speech. I remember walking around and looking at all of the Network big shots set up in different places in the Arena. I also remember that some of the nice houses in Grosse Pointe were rented out to VIPs for huge money. I think a couple of houses on Renaud by Lakeshore were rented out.

**downtownguy** · September-03-12, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by suitsoot

I also remember that some of the nice houses in Grosse Pointe were rented out to VIPs for huge money. I think a couple of houses on Renaud by Lakeshore were rented out.

Yeah, they're always doing what they can do to get by.

**huronicminor** · September-07-12, 02:13 PM

Anybody have any photos or links of these red awnings... Reading about it, it seems like kind of an oddball solution, so I'd be curious to see what this looked like...

**DetroitPlanner** · September-07-12, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by huronicminor

Anybody have any photos or links of these red awnings... Reading about it, it seems like kind of an oddball solution, so I'd be curious to see what this looked like...

Unfortunately this happened pre-internet history. The amount of documentation of the past is sadly lost. The internet exploded what was available after about 1994.