Police brutality and racial profiling were ordinary occurrences in Detroit’s African American neighbourhoods. Housing discrimination forced African Americans to live in certain neighbourhoods of the city, where housing was frequently poor or substandard, while urban renewal programs and freeway construction eradicated areas in which African Americans once thrived. “White flight” and a shift in the tax base to the suburbs also contributed to deindustrialization.
Deindustrialization in the city had resulted in the loss of industrial jobs and their replacement with low-paying service jobs. The deeper causes of the riot were high levels of frustration, resentment, and anger that had been created among African Americans by unemployment and underemployment, persistent and extreme poverty, racism and racial segregation, police brutality, and lack of economic and educational opportunities. Army troops to the city to help quell the violence. George Romney, along with 800 Michigan state police. National Guard were deployed by Michigan Gov. During the next several days, more than 9,000 members of the U.S. The protests and violence spread to other areas of the city as police lost control of the situation. Police responded by blockading the surrounding neighbourhood, but outraged local residents drove through the blockade. Local residents who witnessed the raid protested, and several of them vandalized property, looted businesses, and started fires. The police arrested all patrons in attendance, including 82 African Americans. The immediate cause of the riot was a police raid at an illegal after-hours drinking club, the site of a welcome-home party for two returning Vietnam War veterans.
The riot is considered one of the catalysts of the militant Black Power movement. Many other people were injured, more than 7,000 people were arrested, and more than 1,000 buildings were burned in the uprising. The riot resulted in the deaths of 43 people, including 33 African Americans and 10 whites.
Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.ĭetroit Riot of 1967, series of violent confrontations between residents of predominantly African American neighbourhoods of Detroit and the city’s police department that began on July 23, 1967, and lasted five days.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.