Where were you during the 1967 Detroit Riot?

[canuck]

I was six years old and growing up in Montreal was pretty cool. My dad had a nice 64 1/2 Mustang. Expo 67 was an eye-opener for a lot of folks here and the city was booming. And in spite of the olympics in 76 which brought another spurt of enthusiasm, the city had a lot of issues similar to Detroit which contributed to its decline.

There were the war measures act where the army was called in for a month scanning the city streets. I was nine years old in october 1970 when that happened. A lot of artists, writers etc... sympathetic with the nationalist cause in Quebec were thrown in jail with their rights suspended. Prime minister Trudeau who was of mixed scotch-french ancestry was a staunch believer in cultural diversity and reacted violently to the idea of a break-up of Canada, even though he was very pro french and anti-establishment in his youth. So when a labor minister in the Quebec governement [[Pierre Laporte assassinated) and british commercial trade commissioner James Cross were kidnapped, Trudeau invoked the war measures act and this all happened. A friend of mine's father was a judge and I remember he had two soldiers posted in front of his house. There wasnt the violence that Detroit lived in 67 but the scars are still there. The cultural divide is still present in Montreal. But it is more harmonious because english montrealers are more prone to speaking french proud in fact of their french slang, their kids are in french immersion even in english schools. The french majority is now in control of many strategic businesses, which for a long time was the unhealthy reserve of the anglo elite.I think that the city is slowly seeing the benefits of this strange cohabitation from 1760 til today. There is more of an oecumenical feeling now that we need to fight for a better city. Besides the fact that Montreal was always cosmopolitan, it is now much more diverse and like Detroit, it has to look to the future and not dwell on past grievances like families holding grudges.

[George Cassidy]

Gee, I am just not following that at all. Sorry for your loss, but a MD traffic accident and a MI riot dont't even have six degrees of separation

[larrym]

I was taking an all expense paid vacation courtesy of Uncle Lyndon.

[Trumpeteer]

At Grandma's we road our bikes over to Patton park to see the Nat Guard Troops, some of them sent kids to the store for snacks.
I remember seeing buildings mostly stores burned down all around our neighborhood, on Joy Road and Grand River. We moved close to Grandmas on the southwest side on Oct 31st.

I lived on the corner of Wendell & Woodmere and had a clear view of Patton Park from the kitchen window. I recall it looking like a HUGE Army camp! Dad and I went down around Grand River where I took a lot of Super 8 movie film of the burned out buildings, Guardsmen on fire trucks, and a overturned car. Probably not the smartest thing to do looking back. Still have that film that's been transferred to VHS years ago. Need to transfer again to DVD.

[Jimaz]

Still have that film that's been transferred to VHS years ago. Need to transfer again to DVD.

If it ever ends up on the web please let us know.

[Wingnatic]

I was 17 and living with one of my parents in Ferndale , I then moved in with my other parent in Birmingham . My older brother won a trip from LBJ as well , never saw him alive again .
On a side note to canuck , I understand everything you said , my grandmother was a Trudeau and born in Northern Michigan , her father was born in Franklin Quebec and Pierre is in our family tree as well as cartoonist Garry Trudeau .

[canuck]

Cool Wingnatic! My grandma was born in Michigan too but I dont know where, her brother was born in 1892 in London Michigan, and their grandfather lived in Ishpeming when their parents were married. I still have to connect the dots, do more research.

[sam]

We were living on Grove Street in HP. I was 20 years old and at home, away from college, during the summer. I was working at the Ford Sterling Gear & Axle on the day shift, and my father was working afternoons at the Chevrolet Gear & Axle on Holbrook. He came home one night and said a guy had been pulled from a car on Puritan in HP and beaten to death by a mob. I had always thought the riot began with that incident and never realized until much later that it started in the blind pig on Twelfth and Clairmont. We stayed in the house. Businesses were looted on 6 Mile, and Hamilton near where we lived. Occasionally army jeeps would pass in front of the house. What really amazed us was the sightseeing moms from the suburbs that loaded their kids in the car to come down and cruise the riot areas.
Many historians have recounted the '67 riot, but I think Joyce Carol Oates really nailed it in her novel, "Them."

[Paintnprint]

Here's a cutting from my book...
I was delivering papers on July 23rd, and my trusty transistor-radio reported that Detroit was in flames, under a race-riot. By the time I’d finished my daily chore and returned home, I saw dad’s truck in the driveway, not off to the right of the driveway, and Pat in his work-clothes. Pop said, “Get dressed for work.” and as that was an order I changed into other work clothes. Hardly understanding what was going on, I piled into Pop’s truck, and before I knew it we were on Grand River Avenue. I knew about the riots, and a huge black smudge of smoke ahead of us brought it into a real, 3-D world. Fairly deep into the city limits, we reached a demarcation point. A guy in a green army uniform stopped out truck and demanded to know what we were doing there. Pop quickly explained, and we were waved on into the war-zone. Good Lord. The Army on Grand River? I’d never seen that before.
Less than five minutes later we arrived at a bank whose windows and front doors were shattered, and military everywhere. Green fabric and big guns welcomed us. Unconcerned, we bailed-out and dragged plywood panels and nails to wrap that puppy up. As I unloaded, I heard GUN-FIRE, AND THOUGH I DIDN’T KNOW HOW CLOSE IT WAS, IF I COULD HEAR IT, IT WAS TOO CLOSE!
Under the guard of the National Guard, we nailed that baby tight, and got the Hell out of there before sunset.
It was the moment when I kissed my souring, old Detroit good-bye.
As so many White people did.

[Pingu]

You're kidding me, if I was anything at all back then it was something my parents hypothesized about in sex ed [[so THAT'S what those silly doggies are doing!!!)

[Ronjm23]

There is much of what you posted that I agree with but a few I'm not in agreement. Both of my parents were 2nd generation of eastern European immigrants. My parents fled Detroit for the suburbs in 1956. They bought one of those cookie cutter homes in the downriver area. They did this after endlessly searching for a home in Detroit but the suburbs offered a better buy. Yes, they had the same fear that you had mentioned but it wasn't limited to blacks. Because they lived in a section of Detroit that was ethnically pure they had little contact with people of other races or nationalities. Hence, I listened to them speak in derogatory tones about nearly all other cultures, even their own who were more recent immigrants. They were the dreaded 'DP's. It was only after I started working full time that I was immersed in other cultures and races. I learned that pretty much we are all the same. Most everyone just wanted to earn a living and provide for their families. Yes, I encountered some individuals with other agendas but they were rare. Many people of all races and cultures were leaving Motown long before the riots. The riot just accelerated the flight.

[margaret]

July 24, 1967 was my 16th birthday, believe it or not! I was hanging out at home, 1342 Lakewood Ave. -- the far east side, between Kercheval and Jefferson. I had to be one of the most clueless teens ever: was pissed off about the riot because it meant that the state offices were closed, so I couldn't get my driver's license on my birthday. adolescent blinders. as far off as the riot was, it was pretty scary: we sat around, my folks didn't allow us to leave the house, one of the neighbors had a police radio we kept listening to, and then he would drink and get all pumped up and clean his guns, act macho and describe what he would do to anyone who came near his property, etc. we could see smoke and some glow from the area on the east side that was burning...I thought it was around Mack. is that right? we would sit on the front porch, it was hot out; one time we were out there and some National Guard guys were marching down the street on the sidewalk, and Dad went to light his cigarette and the soldiers whipped around with their rifles ready because they saw his flame. that was crazy scary! they apologized when they realized it was just my dad lighting his cigarette. one weird thing was that because groups of people were not allowed to assemble, plus the strictest curfews were on, we couldn't have cheerleading practice! there were eight of us high school cheerleaders, St. Ambrose High School...when we finally were allowed to assemble again, I remember how during cheerleading practice we would check out the soldiers cruising around in their open air Jeeps and think they were cute and flirt with them. like I said, sooo clueless! those are some crazy memories. our wonderful big house ended up flattened, destroyed by ????...during the 70s my mom was mugged as she was walking to the store, so that was the final straw and my folks gave up on the old neighborhood. moved to the suburbs. our house occupied one of those empty urban prairie places. Lakewood was a great neighborhood in the 50s and 60s.

[margaret]

p.s. I have not yet read "Them," but I appreciate the suggestion. I'm going to get that book! thanks...

[DetroitTeacher]

I was a month old, at the time. I was at my grandparents [[at Fenkell and Lahser) with my mom because dad was working [[DFD). We lived at Greenfield and Grand River. Mom said it was horrible not being able to contact him for 3 days. He'd call when he could but people got news from the TV...not Twitter. When the news reported that a firefighter Smith had died, mom really started to worry because she hadn't heard from dad [[or anyone else on the DFD).

[Danny]

Be well aware that the 1967 Detroit riot was not a race riot. It's was a riot against Detroit Police brutallity after the 'blind pig' raid on the corner of 12th and Clairmount early Sunday morning on the hot summer night.

In 1967 my mom and family was living on Stoepel St. west of Livernois when the riot spread thought the west side. Luckily her home and the rest of area wasn't burned down. But there were National Guards and Detroit police and fireman standing guard just in case the riot spreads. My family in the meantime as armed and ready.

[carlscomputers]

Well, we're at the 44th anniversary & I'm still wondering why no major film makers have made a big budget, historically correct movie about the '67 riots? Any thoughts?

[jcole]

Still too painful? Also, I don't think there were movies made about the other riots that summer or the ones in '68. Newark, NJ; Washington D.C.; Chicago. Not to forget Watts in '65. It was a time of unrest all over the country, not just here

[grumpyoldlady]

I had just graduated from high school. We lived near Morang and Kelly. My boyfriend lived on Saratoga just west of Hayes. Normally I'd ask to use the car and drive to his house. No way! My mom reluctantly took me over there and picked me up, or went and brought him to our house. I remember watching the horrifying scenes on television once the blackout was lifted. After everything settled down, my boyfriend and I foolishly took drives through the neighborhoods that had been burned out the worst. Luckily we had no problems. I got a job at Michigan Bell the following October, and worked at the Bethune office, across from the DPD Mounted Bureau. There were a few girls in our office who lived in the riot area. They did not want to talk to us about what happened, even though they discussed it amongst themselves. I still can't understand the mentality of destroying the stores they shopped in.

[MidTownMs]

We were all gathered at my parents house preparing for my brother's return from Viet Nam and celebrating my 18th birthday. What I remember most was my brother's comment upon his arrival to Detroit..."Damn I thought I left the war."

[Carey]

STASU: The idea that there were more than 43 deaths was a common rumor at the time. And there was never any evidence that more than 43 people died. Nobody, for example, ever surfaced to say, "My son is missing." The papers and TV stations explored every angle of the riot. The Free Press even won a Pulitzer for examining the story behind each death, but no outlet ever found any truth to the rumor. What the Free Press found was the authorities lied about how many people died.

I saw smoke and lots of cops and fire engines, heard what sounded like automatic gunfire but lived five miles from the nearest rioting. My best friend's father was a Detroit cop who shot a rioter. The rioter was armed with a screwdriver and was 30 feet away.

[surenowinlife]

I was enjoying my 8th summer on Burt Lake in Indian River.Remember seeing the news reports and my dad calling our relatives that still lived in Detroit proper.His brother had a business burned and looted.My parents had moved north back in the late 50's.My mom was working at Wards when the riot broke out on the 40's.

[Danny]

After 44 years the Curse of 1967 in Detroit has not being lifted. The city went down hill, corruption and violent street crime was rampant and more middle class folks pack their bags and left for the suburbs. First the middle class white families from 1950s accelerated after 1967 to the black middle class since the 2000s. Leaving behind the poor folks trapped in their urban institutional prison which I called "THE GHETTO!"

[SMRJim]

We lived on Prevost [[3 blocks west of Greenfield) one block N of Grand River. I was 6 going on 7, so I didn't understand the seriousness of the situation. I remember having to stay in the backyard at night for a few days. We weren't in the midst of the worst of it but there was some damage done by the Grand River/Greenfield shopping center. I remember hearing that there were National Guardsmen on the roofs of some of the buildings over there with guns. I remember seeing all the National Guard trucks going down GrandRiver. One day one of them stopped at St Marys of Redford church, 2 blocks from our house, and I talked to some of them - for a 6 year old kid that was pretty exciting. My parents didn't say much about it, I think they probably didn't want to scare us.

[Bigb23]

We he were camping on the two hearted river.When [[when sgt. bill) got the call to deploy.

[margaret]

Lakewood Avenue, between Kercheval and Jefferson [[far east side)...and that was my 16th birthday, when the riot began. the heat wave, the humidity, the rage. stories of snipers shooting into cars from the Ford Expressway overpasses. I was such a stupid teenager, all I could think of was that due to the friggin riot the state offices were shut down and I couldn't get my driver's license on my birthday, like I wanted to. neighbors listening to police radios, getting macho with their rifles, etc. smoke in the air, some fires on the east side not too far from our house, up near Mack as I recall. National Guard soldiers marching down our sidewalk, and when my dad lit a cigarette on our porch, they whipped around toward him with rifles ready. crazy time. scary. destructive. groups of people not allowed to assemble, so we could not practice cheerleading, LOL! then when we finally could, we would flirt with the good-looking military guys cruising around in their jeeps. oh, what a person can get used to, right?