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http://detroit1967.detroithistorical.org/files/original/bd02757b393e74107cce0cb41eb4b723.jpg
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Detroit 67: Looking Back to Move Forward
Subject
The topic of the resource
Stories gathered to commemorate the summer of 1967 in Detroit.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Detroit Historical Society
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Detroit Historical Society, Detroit, MI
Language
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en-us
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
10/20/2019
Written Story
A written account or story submitted by an individual.
Text
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On Sunday, July 23, 9167, we were up north, visiting our sons at Camp Maplehurst, located near Traverse City. I became aware of some disturbance in Detroit around noon and, remembering the Race Riots of 1943, decided to return as quickly as possible. We had three Todd’s Menswear stores in Detroit: Downtown, Livernois & Seven Mile Road and Gratiot & Seven Mile Road, and I was deeply concerned.
As we drove back, listening to the radio, it became very apparent that this was a Race Riot centering on 12th Street. Twelfth Street was a major business street, at one time the heart of the Jewish neighborhood, but now basically a Black neighborhood with many small retail stores, pawn shops, bars and restaurants lining the street from Grand Boulevard to just north of Clairmount.
We kept our Detroit stores closed for about a week. The riot lasted about 5 days. It overwhelmed the Detroit Police Force and later the National Guard was called in, and finally, the US Army. Fortunately, none of our stores were affected, but my friends who owned stores on 12th Street were wiped out. The entire street was a wreck of burned out, looted buildings. It was so completely destroyed that they later renamed the street Rosa Parks Blvd.
We suffered no real losses, other than the business we might have had. However, 4 or 5 of our people, who were members of the National Guard, were called into service and they spent the better part of 2-3 weeks in service as the city calmed down. On the other hand, the city was morally at a standstill. People were nervous and on edge for weeks and months later. There was a huge movement of whites out of Detroit into the suburbs. Looking back today, the Race Riots of 1967 really sparked the exodus of Whites from the City, which is only starting to recover now.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
email message
Submitter's Name
The first and last name of the submitter.
Philip Elkus
People
List any relevant people (interviewers, interviewees, important people mentioned, etc). Please use "Lastname, Firstname".
07/27/2015
Search Terms
Topics mentioned in the story which may be of larger social interest. Put general search terms in plural form (e.g. horses not horse). All items should have: "1967 riots, riots, interviews, oral history (or written history)". Some possible additional terms might be: "Detroit Police Department, police officers, Detroit Fire Department, firefighters, mayors, Clairmount Street, 12th Street, looting".
Twelfth Street, Michigan National Guard, looting
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Philip Elkus
Description
An account of the resource
Philip Elkus recalls fear for his livelihood as a store owner in July, 1967.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Detroit Historical Society
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
07/29/2015
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Detroit Historical Society, Detroit, MI
Format
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Text
Language
A language of the resource
en-US
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Written Story
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
||||osm
Twelfth Street (Rosa Parks), Detroit, Michigan
1967 riot—Detroit—Michigan
Business Owners
Detroit Workers
Looting
Michigan National Guard
Twelfth Street