The Housing Act of 1949, part of President Truman’s domestic program known as the Fair Deal, greatly expanded the federal government’s role in public housing. A section of the slum clearance provisions outlined in the legislation addressed the relocation of families living in affected areas. 1949. Carl Almblad Papers, Box 12, Folder 40.
The Housing Act of 1949, part of President Truman’s domestic program known as the Fair Deal, greatly expanded the federal government’s role in public housing. A section of the slum clearance provisions outlined in the legislation addressed the relocation of families living in affected areas. 1949. Carl Almblad Papers, Box 12, Folder 40.
“Grocery Store Facts,” some of the main conclusions from HOPE 68, 1969. What role does access to grocery stores and product selection play in the livability of an area?
Source: Focus: HOPE Records, Box 4, folder 15.
Booklet of articles from the publication Leviathan, it chronicles the historical origins and political philosophies of DRUM and the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, an umbrella organization formed out of DRUM that networked all the recently formed radical worker groups. Source: Kenneth V. and Sheila M. Cockrel Collection. Box 7, folder 7.
In 1968, John Watson was selected as editor of Wayne State University’s Daily Collegian, which he changed to the, “South End,” in recognition of Wayne State’s location south of General Motors. He turned the newspaper into a resource for radical causes, tackling race and class issues on a daily basis. This included reporting on the wildcat strikes of DRUM and other similar revolutionary actions. Source: Wayne State University South End Newspapers.
Local community, law enforcement, and political representatives meet at Detroit’s 10th precinct to develop a plan of action. At right, Representative John Conyers takes the podium. At far left is State Civil Rights Commissioner Damon Keith.
Local community, law enforcement, and political representatives meet at Detroit’s 10th precinct to develop a plan of action. At left, Police Commissioner Ray Girardin listens as Councilman Rev. Nicholas Hood speaks.
A bird's-eye view of 12th Street during the first day of the 1967 Civil Unrest. "Black Power" is painted in the center of the street. The Chit Chat Lounge is in view at upper, right corner.
The defendants in the Algiers Motel Incident trial. Three police officers and a private security guard (second from left), after their acquittal by an all-white jury on federal conspiracy charges. February 25, 1970.
Campaign flyer from Birmingham, MI for candidates for Commissioners, running on an anti-open housing platform. That same election, Birmingham passed its own fair housing law. This document shows how opponents to anti-discriminatory housing measures commonly made their case. Source: Fair Housing Campaign in Birmingham, Michigan Records.
Anti-University City II cartoon. The University City A Citizens District Council was an alternate form of government established by the Model Neighborhoods program (discussed earlier in the Fair Housing Ordinance panel) to represent residents living near the University’s campus. The council became the primary opponent to the renewal plan. Source: Ruth Tenney Papers, Box 13.
An unseen Detroit Police Officer prepares to arrest four African American men, Detroit, Michigan. In the foreground, a National Guardsman trains his rifle on the suspects.
Interior view of the United Community League for Civil Action, the Blind Pig at 9125 12th St. where the Civil Unrest of 1967 began. A blind pig is a term for an establishment serving alcohol without a license.
Back cover of a brochure for Central Park Plaza, which features a map of the area. Designed by the architectural firm of Giffels and Rosetti, Central Park Plaza offered "every convenience for easier, finer living." The majority of residents displaced by Central Park Plaza's construction could not afford to move into the apartment complex. Situated near the Mies van der Rohe-designed Lafayette Park, the apartments were built in 1963 and still house Detroit residents today. c. 1962. Carl Almblad Papers, Box 12, Folder 42.
Front cover of a brochure for Central Park Plaza. Designed by the architectural firm of Giffels and Rosetti, Central Park Plaza offered "every convenience for easier, finer living." The majority of residents displaced by Central Park Plaza's construction could not afford to move into the apartment complex. Situated near the Mies van der Rohe-designed Lafayette Park, the apartments were built in 1963 and still house Detroit residents today. c. 1962. Carl Almblad Papers, Box 12, Folder 42.
Envisioned and designed to build a "new type of inner city habitation," Mayor Jerome P. Cavanagh released the final report for the Gratiot Redevelopment Project in 1964, eighteen years after planning began. Detroit was the first city in the United States to implement residential redevelopment under the Federal Housing Act of 1949. The project cleared 129 acres including, most notably, the Black Bottom and Paradise Valley areas, displacing Black families and businesses. Some individuals and families remained in what was left of the neighborhoods and others moved to public housing developments, but the Field Relocation Office could not trace every person after they were forced out. June 30, 1964. Carl Almblad Papers, Box 12, Folder 43.
Protesters outside the Veterans Memorial Building where a conference addressing the needs of the nation’s poor, attended by President Jimmy Carter, was taking place. 1977.
Violence took different forms across the city. Police raided the Algiers Motel on Woodward Avenue looking for rumored snipers. While questioning motel guests, police killed 3 Black men in the hotel, beat 9 others, and found no snipers. This became known as the Algiers Motel Incident.
Detroit’s Civil Unrest had captured the attention of the nation. Mayor Jerome Cavanagh appeared on Meet the Press on July 30 to defend his leadership during the previous week. At left is Edwin Newman, moderator of the panel discussion.
