Where were you during the 1967 Detroit Riot?

[Downriver Gal]

Prentis Street

The tabs were kicking in. Someone put an LP on the turntable, and the room was filled with the soft voice of Marty Balin, singing "Coming Back To Me". Prentis Street, in Detroit, at that moment, was a beautiful place and time to be young and alive. Who knew, that in just two months, she would be sent on her Good Humor ice cream route, smack into the middle of the insurrection of 1967...

I recently read Them by Joyce Carol Oates. The riot scene, which is set where you were, was my favorite part of the book. I'm interested in what those who were there think of her version of sixties Detroit.

[Bobl]

g: Your quote:
"...The woman told of Leni Sinclair standing outside shouting to get into the store because she needed milk for the baby. I hope someone gave her some milk..."
That would be Parker Brothers Market, I believe. Henry Drugs, down the street at Third & Prentis closed, with Henry's janitor, an old German guy known as "Ted" perched on a chair in front, a double barrelled shot gun in his lap and a Luger strapped to his side.
The small store at 2nd @ Prentis sold out all stock in a couple of hours.

D: I have never read Them. Might pick it up...

[Downriver Gal]

D: I have never read Them. Might pick it up...

I highly recommend it. The poor white family in the book lives in southwest Detroit, first on Twentieth Street and later on Labrosse. The character of Jules lives around Warren and Woodward and gets caught up in the anarchy of the riot.

[bobby wobby]

I just turned 17,It was a hot night and along with 2 friends walked up to the corner of Washburn and Grand River we sat for an hour in utter silence,there was a curfew and that's why normally bristling Grand River was silent .My one friend who just got a railroad job lit a railroad fuse and tossed it out on Grand River. Out of no where a Army jeep started chasing us ,I jumped behind a bush ,the Jeep stopped right there and a southern voice shouted "Boy I'm counting to 3 and shooting right in that bush", I came out and they beat the crap out of me, I spent the next 2 days on the couch because I couldnt walk Thats my riot Story.

[Ronjm23]

I had already left the Detroit area and was living and working in upstate NY when I learned of the riots. My parents were still alive and living in the downriver area. I decided to come home to visit and try to calm them. I recall vividly exiting the tunnel and after the customs check the officer saying, "don't you know there's a riot going on?" Of course I did. I recall getting on the Edsel Ford doing ~ 90 mph. There wasn't a car in sight. There were no problems downriver and by the time I left to return to NY it was all over. I never had a good realization of the causes. It would be a few years later when I hear Gordon Lightfoot's recording 'Black Day in July.' I had a better idea of what happened and why.

[turkeycall]

Summer of '67: Vacation time between junior and senior years at Lutheran High East. Lived on Farmbrook between Frankfort and Southampton and was working at Burt Uthes' Sunoco station at the corner of E. Warren and Farmbrook.

Burt called the house on Monday to tell me not to go to the station for work because no gasoline could be sold within the city limits during the present crisis.

But I think the Pony Keg package liquor store remained open at the time. Maybe Pete's Bar at the corner of E. Warren and Lodewick was open too.