For better or for worse, the riots of 1943 and 1967 certainly played a large part in turning Detroit into what it is today. The flight of skilled workers from the city to the outlying suburbs reduced both Detroit's tax income and its population, as industry also began to spread outwards and outsource. However, the legacy of the riots has the potential for positive change as well. Detroit's population went from 90% white to over 75% black in 70 years [1], making it the largest black population of any city in the USA [2]. Given proper funding and support, Detroit could once again become a model city, shaped by a firmly rooted black community.
Monument on 12th street (renamed Rosa Parks Street) and Clairmount Ave marking the starting point of the 1967 riot
Despite the learning opportunities which the Detroit riots offered to city officials, many of the problems leading to those outbursts have unfortunately remained. Sub-par housing, lack of employment opportunities, and police brutality all continue to exist throughout the nation. Even since 2010, riots in cities like Oakland, Baltimore, and Ferguson as well as others were provoked by police shootings. Some cases may have allegedly been justified, however the intensity of the riots to this day suggest that minorities face many of the same problems which were present over half a century ago. Remarkably, Detroit is not among the list of cities stricken by race rioting in the past several years. This raises the question of whether or not it's only a matter of time; or if the Detroit government has begun to learn from the mistakes of its past. Lending credibility to the latter theory is the rise of community policing in Detroit. The programs implemented by the city seek to establish friendly ties between communities and the police officers in the area [3]. Education programs, neighborhood meetings, and domestic conflict mediation are all used to create trust between residents and authorities where it has rarely existed before.
Riot in Ferguson, Missouri following the fatal shooting of a black resident by police
Ultimately, the most important question to consider is that of the future. Will the legacy of Detroit's racial issues relegate it to a gravesight of American Industry? Or will Detroit's unique demographic and economic situation offer a new beginning for the city? Some claim that Detroit is slowly rebuilding itself culturally and economically, though the benevolence of investors and community figures. For instance, Quicken Loans CEO Dan Gilbert has purchased over 60 buildings in Detroit since 2010, and focuses much of his time and energy on revitalizing business in his domain. Similarly but on a smaller scale, Detroit residents are purchasing and renovating homes which are then listed for sale or rental [4]. Despite the efforts of concerned citizens, Detroit still has a long way to recovery. Unemployment peaked at almost 25% in 2010, although in the following years it decreased to less than 13% [5]. In addition, crime remains rampant in Detroit, and the issue of blind pigs which sparked the 1967 riot is present to this day [6]. The challenges which lie in the way of Detroit's return to its former glory remain numerous. However, the same fighting spirit which lashed out in 1943 and again in 1967 might eventually turn Detroit into a city of opportunity and innovation once more.
Sources Used:
1: "Table 23. Michigan - Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Large Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990.” United States Census Bureau, United States Government, July 13, 2005, www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/MItab.pdf
2: “The Black Population: 2010.” United States Census Bureau, United States Government, September 2011, www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf
3: “Editorial: Detroit Community Policing Cutting Murders.” The Detroit News, Digital First Media, October 13, 2015, www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/10/13/editorial-detroit-community-policing-cutting-murders/73898044/
4: Austen, Ben. “The Post-Post-Apocalyptic Detroit.” The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times Company, July 13 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/07/13/magazine/the-post-post-apocalyptic-detroit.html?_r=0
5: “Unemployment Rates for the 50 Largest Cities.” Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Government, April 2015, www.bls.gov/lau/lacilg10.htm
6: Lengel, Allen. “Forty Five Years After the Riot, Detroit's Blind Pigs Still Thrive,” Deadline Detroit, Deadline Detroit, July 25 2012, www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/1325/forty_five_years_after_the_riot_detroit_s_blind_pigs_still_thrive#.WEY7ANUrJaS
1: "Table 23. Michigan - Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Large Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990.” United States Census Bureau, United States Government, July 13, 2005, www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0076/MItab.pdf
2: “The Black Population: 2010.” United States Census Bureau, United States Government, September 2011, www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf
3: “Editorial: Detroit Community Policing Cutting Murders.” The Detroit News, Digital First Media, October 13, 2015, www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/10/13/editorial-detroit-community-policing-cutting-murders/73898044/
4: Austen, Ben. “The Post-Post-Apocalyptic Detroit.” The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times Company, July 13 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/07/13/magazine/the-post-post-apocalyptic-detroit.html?_r=0
5: “Unemployment Rates for the 50 Largest Cities.” Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Government, April 2015, www.bls.gov/lau/lacilg10.htm
6: Lengel, Allen. “Forty Five Years After the Riot, Detroit's Blind Pigs Still Thrive,” Deadline Detroit, Deadline Detroit, July 25 2012, www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/1325/forty_five_years_after_the_riot_detroit_s_blind_pigs_still_thrive#.WEY7ANUrJaS