Detroit 1967 Project: Historical Society Wants To Hear Your Story About Riots, Unrest In City
DETROIT (WWJ) - Do you have a story to tell about where you were and what you were doing 48 years ago during the unrest that started on July 23, 1967?
The Detroit Historical Society is conducting interviews for the Detroit 1967 Project on Saturday, July 25 at 10 a.m. at the Detroit Historical Museum, and again on Saturday, August 15 at 10 a.m. at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. Both events are free.
Interested participants are asked to register in advance for a 30-45 minute interview, which will be included in the Detroit 1967 Project's online archive at detroit1967.org. Your story may also be included in an exhibition opening at the Detroit Historical Museum in September 2016.
The disturbance in 1967 started with a police raid of a "Blind Pig," an after hours bar on 12th Street and Clairmount, on the city's west side. The rebellion left 43 people dead and hundreds injured. The Michigan National Guard and the Army were called to the city to help end the rioting. Over 400 people were injured and more than 7,000 people were arrested.
MORE: Looking Back: 1967 Riots, Unrest In Detroit [PHOTOS]
The riots ended after five days, leaving more than 2,000 buildings in Detroit destroyed.
The Detroit 1967 Project is a transformational effort to promote discussion and spark clearer understanding about the events of the summer of 1967 and their effects on metro Detroit and the United States. The Detroit 1967 Oral History Project will collect stories and memories of Metro Detroiters that relate to their lives and experiences before, during and after the unrest of July 1967.
The Society is also looking for people who would like to help conduct the interviews for the Detroit 1967 Project. During these 90-minute, free workshops, participants will learn the basics of conducting oral history interviews, from how to prepare, what questions to ask (and to not ask), how to work with recording equipment, the process of transcribing your interview and how to submit your interview to the Detroit 1967 Project.
Oral History Workshops will also be held on:
· Saturday, July 25 at 10 a.m. at the Detroit Historical Museum
· Thursday, August 6 at 6 p.m. at the Detroit Historical Museum
· Saturday, August 15 at 10 a.m. at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum
To schedule an interview or to sign up for any of the workshops, register online at detroit1967.org/events.
The Detroit Historical Museum is also hosting a two-day celebration to mark the city's 314th birthday. Events start Thursday with a "Cars That Made Detroit" classic car show, followed by a birthday party in the evening with food trucks, drinks and music at Legends Plaza.
On Friday, there's a 10 a.m. presentation about Detroit's earliest citizens. At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., a docent in the "Frontiers to Factories" exhibit shares stories about French settlers. And at noon, storyteller Ivory D. Williams gives a presentation.
