A critque of Dr Alonzo Flemings 'A Cure for Detroit'

For over 25 years Dr. Alonzo Fleming, A professor of sociology and Physics had written a book called the 'A Cure for Detroit' along with Cherise Fleming. Dr. Alonzo Fleming has did some extensive research about how Detroit became mostly African American filled with violent crime, political and regional corruption.

Segregation, xenophobia, union busting, restrictive covenants, real estate racial steering, 1943 race riots, 1967 riots, the election of Coleman A. Young has acclerated white flight to the suburbs or any other sucessful U.S. cities. However Dr. A. Fleming look at two main causes that lead to Detroit's woes. He starts with the battle of black vs. black [[ as in middle class blacks vs. the low-income blacks.)


In the time when Detroit was growing from stove making city to automobile making city. The earlier wave African Americans came to Detroit in the 19th Century via the Underground Railroad. Some went to Canada for total freedom others stayed and settled at the lower east areas from St. Antione Street to Mount Elliott St. from E. Jefferson Ave. to Gratiot Ave. in the area known as Black Bottom. Now fast forward to the beginning of 20th Century. Thanks to Henry Ford's 5 dollar a day wage. It lured thousands of first wave African Americans to Detroit.

Most of them first wave African Americans were from the 'house negro' mentality meaning that they loved their white masters. First wave African Americans brought along with them their middle class skills and built up shops and churches. Then a certian black man named Elijah Mohammed. [[ He was raised in Detroit's East Side before moving to Hamtramck.) founded the Nation of Islam [[known as the Black Muslim movement). Mohammed was busy gathering and converting the fewer middle class black Detroiters from Black Bottom to Paradise Valley and built Mosques increase education to fight segregation and observe the Pillars of Islam. First wave black Detroit Christians were also following that tactic, even when they are quite close to Indo-European Jews who were living long with middle income blacks.

When the second wave of African Americans came to Detroit following World War II. They came with very heavy hearts in their nature. Most of them came from a 'field negro' mentality meaning that they hate their white masters. They came to find work settle in Black Bottom-Paradise Valley and Del-Rey areas. Of course they mingle along the middle income Indo-European Jewish Detroiters that will assist and supplement their needs.

Then suddenly there was a religious clash to see who would convert second wave Black Detroiters. The Black Nation of Islam under the teachings of The Honorable Elijah Mohammed were opposed against fast growing Black Detroit preachers. Elijah claimed that if more African American families pool their fortunes into these growing black churches without its purpose, the result will be building more houses of worship that would treated as 'Masonic-Moose-Knights of Columbus' order in every corner of Detroit growing black community; rather than building a real church as in winning souls for Jesus Christ and collecting tithes and offerings to build hospitals, schools and feeding programs. E. Mohammed aslo warning Blacks that if whites leave Detroit, they would take their business with them. That's the reason why the black community in Detroit needs to be the that middle income civilized manner. Either you're in the Black Muslim Movement or Christian.


By the time in the mid 20th Century whites have started to leave to Detroit, they took their businesses with them. In the meantime the first wave of Black Detroiters who were in the Black Muslim Movement sought what fast growing black Detroit preachers and Christians are doing to black community. Black Detroit Muslims also sought what Black Detroit Christians are doing when they are in total community relationship with the Indo-European Jews. They Elijah Mohammed sent most of his follows to to Harlem, NYC and Chicago, Ill. [[E. Mohammed also move to Chicago to consectrate his movement while he ill.) He also wanted Black Muslims to keep an close eye on their next national minister named Malcom X. Elijah. Mohammed have a few Black Muslims stay around in Detroit Black community in which its getting more second wave Black Christian Detroiters.

It's 1967 violence has disrupted in a local bar in 12th Street and Clairmont and in hot summer night at 2pm. A riot against Detroit Police brutality spread through the west side like a wildfire from 12th Street to far as Grand River and McNichols and the east side from Mack Ave. to Alter Rd. near the Grosse Pointe Park border. This was caused by mostly second wave black Detroiters with their second generation with a few whites joining in.

After the riots, white flight has been acclerated for Detroit and suburbs. Coleman A. Young has became Detroit's great black hope. He was one of first wave black Detroiter that accepted racial insults. And He will take that mentality to Detroit City Government build a political system called 'Plantation Politics'. Mostly second wave Black Detroiters would accept Mayor Young's critique and cling to his feeble hope that is 'Plantation Politics' would save Detroit and make more Afrocentric before promoting diversification. First wave Detroiters would see Mayor Young's agenda as neutral. If he didn't do a good job in Detroit's political businesses and increasing regional growth, then they will follow the Indo-European Jews to their community setting.

Suddenly the lost white stability in Detroit lead to loss of regional world trade. Also global economic problems will lead to sudden collapse of the automobile industry. The second generation of second wave of Black Detroiters who stayed in the neighborhoods are suddenly come in contact with influx of gangs, drugs and other domestic violences. The first wave of Black Detroiters don't want to cope with these problems have started to move to suburbs. Oak Park, Southfield, Lathrup Village the later to Farmington Hills and West Bloomfield TWP. are the example of Middle income Black Detroit flight since the late 1970s to today.

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Well into the late 20th Century while Detroit's population in a major decline. Many of its neighborhoods are being transformed from bedroom size 'keeping up with the Joneses community' into a instant low-income ghetto. While America's ecomony is staggerant. In Detroit the second wave black families even to their second generation are suffering! Most of them have lost educational values, their one time job is gone, some of them didn't get a decent college education. In the meantime the first wave middle income blacks, [[up to the second generation,) most of them are living in the suburbs to get away from the madness and mayhem from the doomed-to-be ghettoes coming from low and poor second wave to second generation Black Detroiter communities. Middle income blacks are still hanging on their jobs, their store ownerships. Even through some them have lost their jobs. They have the college education and the school trade training they need so they get a job right away with plenty of requirements.

Many low-income [[ soon-to-be poor) second wave to second generation Black Detroiters have to look other means for survival. Not only for unemployment benfits, but aslo applying for welfare and food stamps. Other low-income [[soon-to-be poor) second wave to second generation Black Detroiters will choose a life of crime or doing hard time in prision for their last resort.

In the meantime the Detroit City Goverment, its public schools, and rest of its city services are shrinking every year due to plantation politics. There are several protests but there were little or no change. This is becuase when more second wave to second generation of Black Detroiters were in working in Detroit city government since Coleman A. Young Administration, there was little or no plan being implented to tighten its budget. [[Take the D-DOT bus crisis in of 1976. Most of D-DOT busses were broken down all the time. People have to wait up to 3 hours for a D-DOT bus. The Detroit City Government and D-DOT board knew about the matter, the was no plan to have new busses out in the road.) It was until 1978 that D-DOT recieve new busses from USDOT! Today while Detroit still suffering financially its goverment still have to plan to implement its bugdet crisis and soon it could go broke. Their final 2 options filled for bankruptcy or go with an Emergency Manager.


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