watching from windsor '67 part one: unrest breaks out
Poster hanging outside the Detroit Historical Museum, July 8, 2017. A police raid on a “blind pig” (an unlicensed drinking venue) at 12 th Street and Clairmount Avenue in the early morning hours of July 23, 1967 provided the fuse for five days of civil unrest in Detroit. Whether you call what happened that week a rebellion, riot, or uprising, the repercussions are still evident around the city, and remain a well-debated subject. Given Detroit’s proximity to Canada, the events that unfolded affected Windsor, and were commented on elsewhere around the country. What I aim to do with these posts is show Canadian reaction to the events in Detroit, primarily from newspapers in Toronto and Windsor. This series grew from several streams of things I’ve done over the past year: Collecting newspaper stories: Side stories I saved while researching Canada’s centennial, others I tracked down out of personal interest. Museum visits: if you’re visiting Detroit during the...