The Detroit Riots

A high school project analyzing the 1967 Detroit Riot.

“It started in a neighborhood that was used to raids. This was an area where junkies, gamblers, sex numbers, and drinking after the 2 a.m. legal hours was commonly found. Then how would a routine raid start one of the worst riots in United States history?” – Introduction

Debbie Coleman, a student at a Detroit-area high school in 1968, would go on to analyze that question across a 17 page report for her World History class. She clearly has a somewhat biased opinion on one of the most destructive civil disturbances ever to happen in America, with racial stereotyping and finger-pointing seeping in throughout the narrative. Excerpts include “the rioters would not even listen to leaders of their own kind” (pg. 2), “the looters and arsonists were mainly interested in stores owned or operated by whites” (pg. 4), and “this wasn’t a race riot, it was a den of thieves” (pg. 10).

Stories of police besieged by snipers, supported with ‘outside help’, and speculation on possible weeks of destruction without martial law offer a one-sided narrative. Numerous photographs of the violence are taped across the pages, adding a dramatic (if carefully curated) visual effect.

The report includes three hand-drawn maps – the first (pg. 12) shows a 4×2 block square that notes the location of Ford Hospital (where many of the injured were treated) and the police command post at Keifer Hospital. The second, and most impressive, takes up the entirety of page 14 and shows a simple street plan of Detroit. Shading shows the ‘general’ and ‘major’ areas affected by the riot, with sniper areas shown in black boxes. The final diagram shows other cities in Michigan where rioting took place, with the corresponding caption “Rioting Detroit was contagious and spread all over like a raging disease.”

The project concludes with speculation on whether or not the riots could have been prevented. Debbie uses a somewhat disturbing analogy to reflect on the application of violence and cites Black nationalists group insistence “there is a black nation and a white nation.” The report was well-received, earning an ‘A’ from the teacher and the note “Very well done Debbie. I’m sorry I can’t find anything to ‘cut you down on.’ Excellent job.”