John Cipolletti
Title
John Cipolletti
Description
John Cipolletti was a 19 year old photographer who captured early moments of the events that occurred in July 1967.
Publisher
Detroit Historical Society
Date
07/10/2015
Rights
Detroit Historical Society, Detroit, MI
Format
Text
Language
en-US
Type
Written Story
Coverage
Southeast Michigan
Text
I was a crazy kid all my life. But I also worked all the time. When I was 10 in 1958, I had nobody who cared where I was. I took the bus (with transfers) from Dearborn Heights to the heart of Detroit...Woodward Avenue near Hudson. In a few years, I spent many hours in Detroit. From Hudson to the Fox theater and down to the river front: I loved Detroit. Having an interest in photography, I became good at capturing events on my Pentax camera.
In 1964, I interviewed with Dianne Edgecomb who ran the Central Business District Association. Even though I was young, she was impressed by my work. In 1967, I was on an assignment when I saw the smoke and fires and heard the sirens. I stayed all night (crazy kid) photographing what was going on: all of the screaming, shooting, looting, the National Guard, the burning buildings, the police and firemen. I had no way of knowing what was going on. I actually thought we were being invaded by Russians! In the morning, tired but still shooting pictures I returned to the CBDA office. Dianne couldn't believe I was there in Detroit all night. I spilled out the many rolls of exposed film as proof. I got paid but never saw my pictures in print.
In 1964, I interviewed with Dianne Edgecomb who ran the Central Business District Association. Even though I was young, she was impressed by my work. In 1967, I was on an assignment when I saw the smoke and fires and heard the sirens. I stayed all night (crazy kid) photographing what was going on: all of the screaming, shooting, looting, the National Guard, the burning buildings, the police and firemen. I had no way of knowing what was going on. I actually thought we were being invaded by Russians! In the morning, tired but still shooting pictures I returned to the CBDA office. Dianne couldn't believe I was there in Detroit all night. I spilled out the many rolls of exposed film as proof. I got paid but never saw my pictures in print.
Original Format
email message
Submitter's Name
John Cipolletti
Submission Date
06/22/2015
Search Terms
photography, arson, cold war
Files
Collection
Citation
“John Cipolletti,” Detroit Historical Society Oral History Archive, accessed October 4, 2024, https://detroit1967.detroithistorical.org/items/show/19.