Connections in History – Detroit Community-Engaged Research Program

Connections in History

We have all heard that this week has marked the 50th of anniversary of Detroit’s 1967 riots, a pivotal moment in the Detroit we see today. I have been working to learn about that influential week in various ways and my learning would not have been complete without hearing what Thomas Sugrue has had to say. Just as it’s important to look at how the riots have impacted where Detroit is now, it is important to see what led to the riots. I think it is important to read about all the issues Sugrue talks about: the lack of housing, the segregated housing, the overcrowding, the segregated job market, the violence, and more. I think it’s important to realize that it isn’t one of these things that led to the riots, but a combination of all of them. I’m very glad that this is the summer I am spending in Detroit with this program since there has been so many ways to learn about the riots, especially since Focus: HOPE’s founding is very much connected to these events. I would like to learn more about what immediately followed the riots because I have heard that a lot of areas have not been repaired after the riots and I believe this is related to the way that some communities are struggling now. The people who already didn’t have a lot have been left to struggle through fixing it. Sadly, we still see a lot of these same problems today and I hope that maybe this time around we can listen to each other more so that something this drastic does not need to happen again.

2 thoughts on “Connections in History”

  1. Hi Lindsay,
    I really liked your post and I hope we go to 12th street before the end of the program so we can see where the riots began. See you at home!

    – Daria

  2. Hey Lindsay,

    I like how you’ve reflected on what you’re doing at Focus Hope and how they’re connected to the 1967 rebellion. Hopefully I can join you and Daria on 12th street and (sort of) have a walk through history. See ya later!

    Zoe

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