This Day in History: 23 July 2020
23 July 1967
53 years ago, today, the Detroit riots began, which were among the bloodiest in American history. The violence occurred during a period of Detroit's history when the city was struggling economically, with race relations nationwide also being at an all-time low. The Detroit Police Department's vice squad often raided illegal drinking establishments in the poorer neighbourhoods of the city, and in the early morning on this day, they moved against a club that was hosting a party for returning Vietnam War veterans. The police activity in the early hours drew a crowd of onlookers, causing the situation to rapidly deteriorate.
Thousands of people had quickly spilled out onto the street from nearby buildings. They began to throw rocks and bottles at the police, who rapidly fled the scene. On 12th Street, where the illegal club was located, looting and ransacking of shops and businesses began. The first fire broke out by dawn, setting much of the street ablaze. A few hours later, every policeman and fireman in Detroit was called, but officers still struggled to control the crowd on 12th Street. Firemen were also attacked as they tried to fight the flames. This riot continued throughout the week, and even the US Army and National Guard were called in. Once the violence had ended, around 43 people had died, many more were seriously injured and nearly 1,400 buildings had been burned or ransacked.
Want to find out more about the 1967 Detroit riots? Click here for more information, or here for how the riots reshaped Detroit.
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