by
Ira Todd in the 1960s
On July 23, 1967, Detroit erupted. It was never to be the same.
An early morning police raid of an after hours drinking spot on 12th Street, known as a "blind pig," set off a series of events that lead to a riot that would forever change the landscape of the city. In the years to come, the racial composition of the predominantly white police force would change, blacks would rise to political positions of power, people would flee to the suburbs and some stores and homes would never be rebuilt, leaving behind empty fields for decades to come.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1967 riots. In the coming months, Deadline Detroit will talk to people about their experiences during the historical uprising.
This interview with Ira Todd, a Detroit Police homicide investigators, starts the series.
Todd was 9 at the time of the riots. He lived on 12th Street, where it all started.
Related coverage elsewhere:
50 years later, is it “Detroit riots” or “Detroit rebellion?” -- BLAC Detroit magazine, January 2017
