Hortense Fields

Title

Hortense Fields

Description

Hortense Fields recalls her memories from the night of 67 as a senior at Cass Tech High School, driving down Twelfth street with her friends.

Publisher

Detroit Historical Society

Date

10/09/2015

Rights

Detroit Historical Society, Detroit, MI

Format

Text

Language

en-US

Type

Written story

Coverage

Downtown Detroit and 12th Street

Text

My name is Hortense Fields. In the summer of 1967, I was a senior at Cass Tech High school, working part time at the concession stand in Arlans Department Store in Dearborn. My best friend, Helen Austin, and I went to a pre frat party in downtown Detroit on Saturday night, a few hours before the riot started. Helen's father drove us down 12th Street that Saturday night and I remember remarking that there are a lot of people out here this evening. Helen replied, "There's always a lot of people out on 12th Street on a Saturday night. This place is always jumping”. We continued traveling down 12th Street going downtown to the pre frat party- there were many young people there and we had a good time.

Original Format

email message

Submitter's Name

Hortense Fields

Submission Date

08/02/2015

Search Terms

Cass Tech, 12th Street

Citation

“Hortense Fields,” Detroit Historical Society Oral History Archive, accessed March 17, 2025, http://detroit1967.detroithistorical.org/items/show/92.

Output Formats