Community

Looking Back at Detroit 1967

In July 1967, five days of chaos erupted in Detroit. Citizens, police, and troops clashed in a violent conflict that left 43 people dead, thousands of buildings destroyed, and a lingering scar on the once-vibrant city. It was a pivotal moment for Detroit, and for the country.Today, many believe Detroit is having a renaissance. And there have been plenty of visible improvements in recent years.But for many Detroiters, little has changed for the better in the past half-century. Poverty is even more entrenched. There are few good jobs and even fewer good schools. Blight and foreclosure have erased entire neighborhoods.If we want to understand today’s Detroit, we have to consider the city’s turbulent past. That’s why Michigan Radio is revisiting the events of that hot summer in 1967.From July 17-28, Stateside and Morning Edition will hear from people who were there; explore the issues that led to the deadliest riot of the 1960s; and examine why it still resonates in the city today.

Nuns recall their role in the ‘67 rebellion and the injustices still troubling Detroit

Michigan Public | By Cynthia Canty

Published July 27, 2017 at 5:00 PM EDT

Sister Theresa Milne today and in the 60's

Sister Mary Ann Markel in the 60's and today

The Detroit rebellion erupted in the early Sunday morning hours of July 23, 1967, just blocks away from the Catholic church and school of St. Agnes located on 12th Street. That street is now known as Rosa Parks Boulevard.

The parish had been a strong presence in the neighborhood for many years, with its church and a community high school staffed by nuns: the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHMs). The order is noted for its strong commitment to social justice and education.

Sister Theresa Milne and Sister Mary Ann Markel joined Stateside to tell us about their experience when the rebellion erupted, and their insights into the church’s role in Detroit then and now.

“We all have to embrace our common humanity that we are all equal under God and in the United States and that's the dream," Markel said. "But we certainly don't practice it in many instances, certainly not in our justice system.”

Listen above for the full conversation.

From July 17-28, Michigan Radio is looking back at Detroit in 1967, the Summer of Rebellion. We’ll explore the issues that led to one of the deadliest civil disturbances in American history and examine why it still resonates in the city today.

(Subscribe to the Stateside podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or with this RSS link)