The Village Green Company has purchased The Millender Center Apartments and has announced that it intends to rename the apartments, removing the name of the late Robert Millender, an icon in Detroi'ts political history. Bill McGraw of Deadline Detroit has written a fine, nuanced column explaining why this is a bad idea that will offend a lot of folks. http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/artic...l...hing_to_do
I can't say that I really care about this, any more than I'd care if someone renamed some other private property to suit their needs.
And I can't imagine that I'm not in a vast majority on this issue, given that, according to the deadlinedetroit author, "[t]he naming news received virtually no public comment."
If it were a public park or something else, then I could see a reason to get upset.
And even on top of that, most people will continue to call it Millender Center anyway, kind of like the Book Cadillac here [[rather than the Westin) or the Sears Tower in Chicago [[rather than the Willis Tower).
Some understanding of the role played by Robert Millender in Detroit's political history can be achieved by reading the following bio included in the web site of the Detroit African-American History Project web site maintained by WSU:
Biography Search Display
Name:
Robert Millender
Photo Courtesy of B. Pennie MillenderYear of Birth:
1916Year of Death:
1978Biography:
An attorney and political strategist, Robert Millender was a driving force behind the first generation of successful African-American politicians in the city of Detroit. By developing an overall strategy for African-American political ascendancy and acting as campaign manager in individual races, Millender helped Detroit's African-Americans gain the political power enjoyed today. Although never elected to a political office, Millender's significance to the people of Detroit is demonstrated by the naming of the Robert L. Millender Center in his honor.
Robert Millender was born on December 8, 1916 in Chicora, Mississippi. His family moved to Detroit in 1921 when his father migrated North for a job at Ford Motor Company. Millender graduated from Northwestern High School and followed his father into a job at Ford. He married in 1941. That same year he left Ford and took a job at the post office so that he could attend night school. At the outbreak of World War II, Millender joined the United States Army, rising to the rank of Warrent Officer by the time of his discharge in 1945. After returning to civilian life, Millender enrolled in the Detroit College of Law and graduated in 1952. Upon graduation he was appointed to the Workers Compensation Board and became the deputy director in 1957.
Millender became interested in politics as a way for African Americans to exert power, given that they were often denied economic power. In the mid-1950s he began to develop political strategies and to recruit young African-American leaders to run for political office. Millender and George Crockett, Jr. were instrumental in finding the logical boundaries and legal grounds for creating a new congressional district in Detroit that would elect an African American to the United States House of Representatives. These efforts paid off in 1964 with the election of John Conyers, for whom Millender acted as campaign manager. Millender was known for his tireless efforts on behalf of African-American candidates, spending countless hours canvassing neighborhoods and meeting with voters and city leaders. His dedication paid off in a number of significant political victories in which he managed campaigns. He served as campaign manager for George Crockett's 1966 election as the first African-American Recorder's Court Judge and for Detroit City Council members Robert Tindal and Erma Henderson. Millender managed Richard Austin's 1969 campaign as the first African-American mayoral candidate and his 1970 successful candidacy for secretary of state, making Austin the first African American to hold that post. Millender's political activism reached an apex with Coleman Young's 1973 election as mayor of Detroit.
In addition to his political activism, Millender was also a partner in the law firm of Goodman, Eden, Millender, and Bedrosian, the first known integrated law firm in the United States. He also served as political chairman for the Trade Unions Leadership Council, which was a group of African Americans fighting for their rights within Detroit's unions. In addition to all this, Millender found time to support numerous
The building as a whole is still called the Millender Center. Only the apartments are changing names. While Millender undoubtedly seems like an influential person in Detroit's past, this is much ado about nothing imo.
Ha ha ha, Wheels, you kill me.
I say, call it Somerset Apartments and double the rent.
Joe Louis countdown begins shortly.
Thanks. I knew nothing about all this. I hope VG thinks twice. But its theirs to do as they wish.Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodward's Cousin
"The next stop is the.....mill-en-der cent-er"
This is the.....mill-en-der cent-er........................................Station. "Quote:
Originally Posted by prodigal son
Gosh, a political operative has a building named in his honor, I can't wait for the Aldolph Mongo deli just down the street from the Sam Riddle disco.
the Eaton Tower had a name change, the Kales Building had a name change, how many names has the Pontch had? Fort Shelby? The Milner was the Henry Clay. The Wright-Kay has had how many names? SS Kresge on Cass Park is what?
these name changes happen because new people buy them, improve them and make them relevant to a new generation. These are private concerns, answering to the marketplace. When the Robert Millender fan club decides not to hold their bi-annual national convention there, the VG folks will learn their lesson.
When all four of his fans refuse to show up, the VG will hang their heads in shame and regret. I say, let those evil people who have a known track record for turning around flagging enterprises, to just stop. Your insights are not welcome. No new ideas are wanted. We have Boydell around who can put up some attractive awnings and make everything better. You just stay away.
go. Everyone knows nothing changes here. Buildings never change names. Never. Just because you are using your money to rehab a private building gives you no right to rename it. That is silly.
I think it's silly to change the name of buildings like this. Not as silly as calling the Dime Building the "Chrysler House", but oh well.
I have no idea who Bob Millender is, nor do most people. And I've never been a fan of naming buildings after political figures [[like CAY Center, MacNamara Terminal, Frank Murphy HoJ, etc.). I'm all for them re-branding the place if it will boost its profile.
Gnome, are you saying that we have to change sometimes? No, please, no. Things are fine as they are.Quote:
Originally Posted by gnome
Besides, our democratic rights to name buildings is being usurped.
Gnome... I'm not sure which offends me more... the State Theatre... which became the Palms-State then the Palms, then the State, then CLUB-X then the State then the Fillmore....
OR the Capitol Theatre which then became the Paramount, then the Broadway Capitol, then the Grand Circus, then the Detroit Opera House... :eek:
I guess it's all a matter of degree. I don't mind when a new owner changes the name of a building. But I do take personal offence when the city changes the name of a street, or an area, in particular Detroit changing Harmony Park to Paradise Valley. The Harmony Park name change just muddies up history. I hated it when Chicago moved the Maxwell Street market. They have done it twice so far. Maxwell Street Market was the home of Chicago blues.
In the past, Detroit moved "China Town" from Michigan Avenue to Cass. It happens all the time. I still hate it.
I tend to agree with your assessment Rick...Quote:
Originally Posted by RickBeall
>In the past, Detroit moved "China Town" from Michigan Avenue to Cass. It happens all the time.<
You mean this isn't the Chinese New Year parade??
Attachment 18876
HA!Quote:
Originally Posted by prodigal son
Anyway he'll still have the People Mover robot saying his name until kingdom come, and his station has some pretty sweet tile work in it too [[though it does kind of scream '1987!').
http://www.thepeoplemover.com/Millen...nter.id.54.htm
That's more than most of us dirtbags will have after we're dead and gone.
DetroitArtSeen , that is a pretty threadbare Chinatown you are pointing at. There are no Chinese businesses there any more.
My concern is for the hipsters 20 years from now whose world will be shattered when smoking their clove cigarettes in Paradise Valley, thinking they are in Paradise Valley, when an uber-hipster, that is a wino wearing a ragged, BO stained "Preservation Wayne" T-shirt will tell them, "No, Paradise Valley was a couple blocks over."