Ann Currier, January 31st, 2017

WW: Hello. Today is January 31, 2017. My name is William Winkel. This interview is for the Detroit Historical Society's Detroit 67 Oral History Project, and I am in Monroe, Michigan. I am sitting down with -

AC: Sister Ann Currier.

WW: Thank you so much for sitting down with me today.

AC: Thank you.

WW: Would you like to tell your story?

AC: I'm not sure what you want. First of all, I worked in Detroit. And my main reason for coming is because of the people I worked with. Trinity was always noted for the poor, and when the riot broke out, Father Curran opened up the church and the school for anyone that needed help. And they stayed there until they were - police cars were all over the place, and we went back and forth. The curfew was six o'clock for us, but we didn't abide by it. [laughter] We did as we pleased.

And we took care of them. We fed them. We did whatever we could for them. And I kind of think - I think the pastor at St. Agnes, Father Granger, must have called Father Curran - I think - and so people were ushered down that way, because we were noted for opening up our doors for anybody at any time.

We saw the fire, we saw the smoke, we saw the whole shooting batch, but the important things were the people. They came into the church, they came into the school, and we took care of them.

WW: About how many people?

AC: It's hard to say. Enough. They filled the place. But it was hard to say. We weren't thinking of numbers, we were just taking people as they came, and whatever their needs were, and helping them make telephone calls. If someone came for them, they went. Others came. That was it.

WW: What was the atmosphere like inside the church? Were the people in there afraid or anxious?

AC: Not at Trinity. Because it was called a port of entry. Trinity was a port of entry for people from all over the world. And people took care of Trinity, in the sense of the poor would not let anything happen to Trinity. I was there for 45 years, so I know.

WW: Did you expect any outbreak of violence in Detroit that summer, or did it surprise you?

AC: No. I didn't expect it, and I was probably surprised, because I think people should be peaceful.

WW: Did it change the way you look at Detroit?

AC: No. No. I stayed there. [laughter] After all that was over with, I stayed there. I was there until I came home - here. And that's only 10 years ago.

WW: Is there anything else you'd like to share? Any stories from that week?

AC: No. I think you've heard them all.

WW: All right. Thank you so much.

AC: You're welcome.