Detroit (Mich.) -- Riot, 1942

The 1943 Detroit Race Riot

jruss — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:07:36 -0400

On June 20, 1943, a fight broke out between African American and white Detroiters spending their Sunday on Belle Isle, the city’s large park in the middle of the Detroit River. Fighting spread to the mainland, and rumors crisscrossed the city, stoking racial tensions that had been running high and threatening to boil over into violence for months. Rioting spread, with little attempt from the police to stop it (in fact, much evidence points to many white police facilitating and even participating in violence against African Americans), and by the time President Franklin Roosevelt sent in federal troops on the evening of June 21, hundreds had been injured, and 34 people had died: 25 African American (17 of whom were shot by police), and 9 white. Of the arrests made later, 85% were African American. read more »

(28650) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 07:11:00 -0400

Dozens of African Americans meet outside of a home after families attempting to move into the Sojourner Truth Housing Project were met by over 1200 angry, white demonstrators.

(1188) Flyer, Sojourner Truth Housing Project, 1942

eclemens — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 11:30:59 -0400

A flyer, created by local whites, asks for assistance from people outside their neighborhood at Nevada and Fenkell in keeping African Americans from moving into the Sojourner Truth Housing Project. Courtesy of the Charles A. Hill Collection

(28632) Sojourner Truth Housing Project, Rally, Cadillac Square, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 01:30:59 -0400

Thousands of citizens and delegates from community organizations attend a mass meeting in Cadillac Square in support of housing for African American war workers.

(28633) Sojourner Truth Housing Project, Rally, Cadillac Square, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 01:30:59 -0400

Two women place a wreath of flowers during a mass meeting in Cadillac Square in support of housing for African American war workers.

(28635) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, State Police, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:30:59 -0400

Michigan State Police march in formation throughout the Sojourner Truth Housing Project on "moving day." Over 1,400 State and Detroit police and 1,000 Michigan State Troops were brought in to protect the 200 African American families set to move into the war housing projects and Fenkell and Nevada from white neighbors who wished for the area to remain segregated.

(28636) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, State Troops, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:39:59 -0400

Michigan State Troops in full dress set up camp in an empty field on Nevada Street across from the Sojourner Truth Housing projects on "moving day." Over 1,400 State and Detroit police and 1,000 Michigan State Troops were brought in to protect the 200 African American families set to move into the war housing projects and Fenkell and Nevada from white neighbors who wished for the area to remain segregated.

(28637) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, State Troops, 1942

eclemens — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 04:33:59 -0400

Michigan State Troops guard one of the many checkpoints set up on the streets that lead into the Sojourner Truth Housing Project on "moving day." Over 1,400 State and Detroit police and 1,000 Michigan State Troops were brought in to protect the 200 African American families set to move into the war housing projects and Fenkell and Nevada from white neighbors who wished for the area to remain segregated.

(28638) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Families, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:40:59 -0400

Three children look on as movers from Russle's Moving and Storage unload the furniture of one of the first African American families to make it into the Sojourner Truth Housing Projects on "moving day."

(28639) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Injuries, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:40:59 -0400

Detroit Police assist an employee from Busy Bee Moving who's hand was injured while attempting to move African American families into the Sojourner Truth Housing Project.

(28640) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, State Troops, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:45:59 -0400

State Troops patrol the streets surrounding the Sojourner Truth Housing Project on "moving day." Over 1,400 State and Detroit police and 1,000 Michigan State Troops were brought in to protect the 200 African American families set to move into the war housing projects and Fenkell and Nevada from white neighbors who wished for the area to remain segregated.

(28641) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Detroit Police, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:50:59 -0400

Detroit Police attempt to disperse a crowd of white men, some of whom are armed with bats, from the area surrounding the Sojourner Truth Housing Projects. The men wanted to keep their neighborhood segregated from the African American families who were preparing to move into the adjacent war housing project.

(28642) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Violence, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 04:55:59 -0400

Tear gas is used to disperse angry crowds as African American families prepare to move into the Sojourner Truth Housing Projects.

(28643) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Arrests, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 05:09:59 -0400

Two African American men are led away by Detroit Police during the clashes at the Sojourner Truth Housing Project.

(28644) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Violence, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 05:12:59 -0400

Mounted Detroit Police set upon demonstrators during the clashes at the Sojourner Truth Housing Project.

(28645) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Arrests, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:30:59 -0400

Harold Dillard, 14, is arrested by police during the riot at the Sojourner Truth Housing Project as his sister holds onto him in protest.

(28645) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Violence, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:37:59 -0400

Police, some armed, some mounted on horses, attempt to control the massive crowds that came out to protest African American families moving into the Sojourner Truth Housing Project.

(28647) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Arrests, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:41:00 -0400

Mounted Police arrest an African American during the Sojourner Truth Housing Project riot.

(28647) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Protestors, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:51:00 -0400

Hundreds of white neighbors and their supporters line a street near the Sojourner Truth Housing Project to protest and intimidate African American families that were to move into the adjacent war housing.

(28649) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Violence, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:59:00 -0400

Dozens of men and children happily pose for a photograph around an overturned car. The car belonged to an African American who attempted to break through the crowd of demonstrators around the Sojourner Truth Housing Project.

(28651) Riots, Sojourner Truth, Housing, Arrests, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 07:28:00 -0400

Four African American men are searched by Detroit Police for weapons during the Sojourner Truth Housing Project Riot.

(28652) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Violence, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 07:44:47 -0400

A bloodied African American man is forcibly led away from home by uniformed police officers with night sticks during the Sojourner Truth Housing Project Riot as four African American men stand on porch in background.

(28653) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Violence, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 07:51:04 -0400

A photograph of Dolores Hommer, a young woman injured during a violent protest against African American families moving into the Sojourner Truth Housing Project.

(28654) Riots, Housing, Sojourner Truth, Arrests, 1942

eclemens — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 07:56:14 -0400

An African American man is removed from the scene of the Sojourner Truth Housing Riot as uniformed police officer holding his night stick forcibly urges him on.

(28770) Political Cartoon

jruss — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:50:47 -0400

This political cartoon appeared in an issue of the UAW Education Department's publication Ammunition in the 1940s. It draws attention to the negative impact racism had on the war effort. This particular version was scanned from the Reuther Library vertical files Race Riots 1940s folder.

(28771) Detroit Housing Has not Kept Up with Population

jruss — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:59:26 -0400

This chart appears on page 15 of a pamphlet entitled Why Race Riots? Lessons from Detroit, produced by the Public Affairs Committee and written by Earl Brown in 1944. The pamphlet examines the reasons behind Detroit's 1943 race riot. The pamphlet appears in the Reuther Library vertical file Race Riots 1940s folder.

[Podcast] Detroit vs. Everybody: Exploring Race, Place, and Black Superheroes in DC Comics

teller — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:46:00 -0400

Dr. Vincent Haddad explains that while Detroit has often served as the inspiration for crime-ridden settings in comics, DC Comics rose above those stereotypes with black superheroes Amazing-Man in the 1980s series All-Star Squadron and the Cyborg solo series in the 2010s. He describes how those two series represented Detroit and issues of race, policing, and culture in a more historically-informed and nuanced manner. read more »