Do people regret the 1967 riot?

[swingline]

Growing up in Chicago, I know very little about Detroit history, and was only a toddler when this event occurred. But from what I hear, Detroit was the most socially progressive city in the nation [Detroit's black population had the highest rate of home-ownership of any black urban population in the country, and their unemployment rate was just 3.4 percent. It was not despair that fueled the riot.], but for some reason the most devastating racial riot occurred here. The people with means fled the city for the suburbs and Detroit entered a downward spiral, and has never recovered.

But there was also a small racial riot in 1943. Did this event already put people in motion to flee the city for the suburbs or did the majority start fleeing in the late 60s?

The 1967 Detroit was not a "racial riot." That term is generally applied to disturbances between two racial groups. Rather, the 1967 riot arose out of a highly charged atmosphere of racial discrimination, police brutality and other very serious social justice inequalities. The rioters "fought" the "authorities." That is not to defend or excuse the lawlessness. But it is an explanation. On the other hand, racial riot is an apt term for the 1943 riot. Blacks and whites fought each other.

[Danny]

The 1967 Detroit was not a "racial riot." That term is generally applied to disturbances between two racial groups. Rather, the 1967 riot arose out of a highly charged atmosphere of racial discrimination, police brutality and other very serious social justice inequalities. The rioters "fought" the "authorities." That is not to defend or excuse the lawlessness. But it is an explanation. On the other hand, racial riot is an apt term for the 1943 riot. Blacks and whites fought each other.

​That is historically incorrect!

The 1967 riot was not a race riot nor race related! It started as a 'blind pig' incident at a bar on the corner of 12th Street and Clairmount after 2:00 am Sunday morning in a warn but heat wave July night. All white Detroit Police force just trying to stop drunks from causing their little riot before it got out of control. When the riots flare up, Black folks in Detroit's West Side put these rumors white police officers messing with our people. White Detroiters said that blacks are tearing up their own neighborhoods and soon it would spread to ours. Let's move out here.

So far we don't know that drunk or drunks color of their skin who started the riot. But we do know that it left some wounds all over Detroit for ages to come.

[swingline]

​That is historically incorrect!

The 1967 riot was not a race riot nor race related! It started as a 'blind pig' incident at a bar on the corner of 12th Street and Clairmount after 2:00 am Sunday morning in a warn but heat wave July night. All white Detroit Police force just trying to stop drunks from causing their little riot before it got out of control. When the riots flare up, Black folks in Detroit's West Side put these rumors white police officers messing with our people. White Detroiters said that blacks are tearing up their own neighborhoods and soon it would spread to ours. Let's move out here.

So far we don't know that drunk or drunks color of their skin who started the riot. But we do know that it left some wounds all over Detroit for ages to come.

Danny, thanks for the classic post. Now, just to clear things up, what exactly do you find "historically incorrect?"