[MGD]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Michigan has a history that seems rather interesting and yet in some ways contradictory. Michigan was one of the fronts for the Undergroud Railroad. It was not a slave state. With that said, it had many issues. Michigan's African-American population didn't get into large numbers until Henry Ford started creating jobs. Ford Motor Company was a major reason for blacks moving to Michigan. Many blacks were looking for an escape from Jim Crow and for better job opportunities. Many blacks found jobs in the factories. Some found fortune(How do you think Motown Records got its start?). There were many who faced problems finding jobs. Not only that, Michigan didn't prove to be that much better as far as race relations went. There were many forms of discrimination. Blacks were denied housing in some places, mainly in the form of restrcitive covenents. Dearborn even had sundown ordinances keeping blacks out, as did many places across Michigan. Blacks had to live where they could find housing. Racial tensions rose as the black population rose. Then came WWII. Detroit became the arsenal of the USA. Many factories made ammunitions. Another migration of African-Americans came to Michigan for the work. In addition, many white Southerners came to Michigan for the work. Racial tensions were latent on both ends. A race riot broke out in 1943 in Detriot. Detroit wasn't the only city either. After that, there were still more blacks moving to Michigan from the South as an escape route from Jim Crow and a chance to secure better opportunities. While some found work, others found problems. In some places living conditions were terrible, crime was rampant and there were tensions building. These tensions came to a head in July 1967. Tensions between blacks and the police wre particularly bad. What happened? Sometimes it took a straw on the camel's back to cause alarm. That is what happens. Many blacks were angry at the conditions and the fact that things weren't getting better. Riots were occuring , not only in Detroit, but in Lansing and Grand Rapids. Detroit was never the same after that. What ever problems that were occuring in Detroit seemed to escalate after that. Crime went up. Jobs went away. Poverty and drugs came too. Loss of jobs, and a climate rife with racial tensions caused many problems in Detroit, but this wasn't the only area either.
I could be wrong. I don't know everything.

Wow you just taught me a lot...excellent post...

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Michigan has a history that seems rather interesting and yet in some ways contradictory. Michigan was one of the fronts for the Undergroud Railroad. It was not a slave state. With that said, it had many issues. Michigan's African-American population didn't get into large numbers until Henry Ford started creating jobs. Ford Motor Company was a major reason for blacks moving to Michigan. Many blacks were looking for an escape from Jim Crow and for better job opportunities. Many blacks found jobs in the factories. Some found fortune(How do you think Motown Records got its start?). There were many who faced problems finding jobs. Not only that, Michigan didn't prove to be that much better as far as race relations went. There were many forms of discrimination. Blacks were denied housing in some places, mainly in the form of restrcitive covenents. Dearborn even had sundown ordinances keeping blacks out, as did many places across Michigan. Blacks had to live where they could find housing. Racial tensions rose as the black population rose. Then came WWII. Detroit became the arsenal of the USA. Many factories made ammunitions. Another migration of African-Americans came to Michigan for the work. In addition, many white Southerners came to Michigan for the work. Racial tensions were latent on both ends. A race riot broke out in 1943 in Detriot. Detroit wasn't the only city either. After that, there were still more blacks moving to Michigan from the South as an escape route from Jim Crow and a chance to secure better opportunities. While some found work, others found problems. In some places living conditions were terrible, crime was rampant and there were tensions building. These tensions came to a head in July 1967. Tensions between blacks and the police wre particularly bad. What happened? Sometimes it took a straw on the camel's back to cause alarm. That is what happens. Many blacks were angry at the conditions and the fact that things weren't getting better. Riots were occuring , not only in Detroit, but in Lansing and Grand Rapids. Detroit was never the same after that. What ever problems that were occuring in Detroit seemed to escalate after that. Crime went up. Jobs went away. Poverty and drugs came too. Loss of jobs, and a climate rife with racial tensions caused many problems in Detroit, but this wasn't the only area either.
I could be wrong. I don't know everything.

There was also a race riot in 1863 in Detroit directed towards Blacks too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Race_Riot_(1863)

Keep in mind, that a lot of Blacks went to Canada through Detroit and the Windsor area has had a strong Black presence due to African American slaves running away to the area and staying. Sandwich was an area that many slaves settled in and many went to the Chatham area as well. Actually, Amherstburg, Ontario's mayor is Black. http://www.town.amherstburg.on.ca/co...formation.aspx (On a side note, the first black mayor in NY State was a Black man named William White originally from Windsor, Ontario and he was the mayor of Port Byron, NY sometime in the 1970's.)

Also, Farmington was a major Underground Railroad town, as were some other communities in Western Wayne County.

Here's some more interesting history:North American Black Historical Museum

Images of Black History: Exploring the Alvin McCurdy Collection (http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/alvin_mccurdy/index.html - broken link)

A History of the Farmington Link on the Underground Railroad (http://www.farmlib.org/fundr.html - broken link)

Michigan Underground Railroad (http://www.albion.edu/library/JAT/Farmington.htm - broken link)

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

There was also a race riot in 1863 in Detroit directed towards Blacks too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Race_Riot_(1863)

Keep in mind, that a lot of Blacks went to Canada through Detroit and the Windsor area has had a strong Black presence due to African American slaves running away to the area and staying. Sandwich was an area that many slaves settled in and many went to the Chatham area as well. Actually, Amherstburg, Ontario's mayor is Black. http://www.town.amherstburg.on.ca/co...formation.aspx (On a side note, the first black mayor in NY State was a Black man named William White originally from Windsor, Ontario and he was the mayor of Port Byron, NY sometime in the 1970's.)

Also, Farmington was a major Underground Railroad town, as were some other communities in Western Wayne County.



Here's some more interesting history:North American Black Historical Museum

Images of Black History: Exploring the Alvin McCurdy Collection (http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/english/exhibits/alvin_mccurdy/index.html - broken link)

A History of the Farmington Link on the Underground Railroad (http://www.farmlib.org/fundr.html - broken link)

Michigan Underground Railroad (http://www.albion.edu/library/JAT/Farmington.htm - broken link)

Some of this never gets discuss in history class.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by alliteration

I think you need to chill out. Some people here do joke every once in awhile. I'm fairly certain the poster wasn't dead serious in their remark. Some people here get a little too defensive when people jest about this state.

If you have read the majority of their posts, you would see that when posting on the Michigan board they are usually very negative, and a real hater of the State. They generally just post things that will stir up an argument or start one. My response was based firmly in past experience.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Some of this never gets discuss in history class.

I know. That's why I try to do a lot of research on history about people of African descent. There's a lot out there that most people don't even know.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I know. That's why I try to do a lot of research on history about people of African descent. There's a lot out there that most people don't even know.

Sometimes even a very good college professor doesn't always teach you everything. He might want to do so, but sometimes the extent of time can constrain things. Sometimes it does good to talk to the professor on his office hours.
You are correct. There is alot of history out there that many people don't know. When I was getting educated in elementary school and middle school, I was taught "North good, South bad". I got into high school, I learned it wasn't much better for either. I always thought Michigan was a better state to live in than Georgia, until I read history books. I think the difference is that Michigan did its dirty work in a different way. You may have not had "separate but equal" or "white/colored only restrooms, but there were some issues.

[alliteration]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Sometimes even a very good college professor doesn't always teach you everything. He might want to do so, but sometimes the extent of time can constrain things. Sometimes it does good to talk to the professor on his office hours.
You are correct. There is alot of history out there that many people don't know. When I was getting educated in elementary school and middle school, I was taught "North good, South bad". I got into high school, I learned it wasn't much better for either. I always thought Michigan was a better state to live in than Georgia, until I read history books. I think the difference is that Michigan did its dirty work in a different way. You may have not had "separate but equal" or "white/colored only restrooms, but there were some issues.

While its certainly true that the Union itself had many racial problems and isn't free from the racism that has plagued this country, there are still distinct differences. I would hesitate to say that Northern states were just as bad. While of course there are plenty of events that took place in the North, I'd say that the North was more progressive than the South. Look at Reconstruction, it was Republicans from the North that traveled to South and risked their lives to help set up education and government. Read some James Loewen, he's a sociologist who has written multiple books on racism in the US. Thomas Sugrue (who is from Detroit) also wrote an excellent book covering race and inequality in Detroit.

The real problem with US history, is that the common consensus is not to say anything bad about the Confederacy. Many state governments still honor the Confederate Flag. Textbooks criticize reconstruction and often have very racist undertones. If you actually read the right books and take a close look at US history, you'll find we've done very little to criticize certain aspects of our past and fail to take a close, comprehensive look at all the racism that our country has embraced. I realized when I was in college studying history, just how horrible American History is taught to high schoolers in this country. Considering so few people take history classes in college, that says that most people are getting a skewed and inaccurate illustration of US history.

[Cassondrarose16]

I really wish people didnt judge Michigan from whats going on in Detroit. Michigan has alot of nice communitys who are not racist. I would also like to say that not all of us in Michigan are "whining" about not being able to find a job, I'm sorry we dont all have a big college degree to get any job we want and make enough money to have nice cars and sometimes even be able to feed our familys but we ARE doing something about it. And I resent the fact that your post makes people from michigan look like racist uneducated whining babys.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Cassondrarose16

I really wish people didnt judge Michigan from whats going on in Detroit. Michigan has alot of nice communitys who are not racist. I would also like to say that not all of us in Michigan are "whining" about not being able to find a job, I'm sorry we dont all have a big college degree to get any job we want and make enough money to have nice cars and sometimes even be able to feed our familys but we ARE doing something about it. And I resent the fact that your post makes people from michigan look like racist uneducated whining babys.

Many people fail to realize that Detroit is a unique case.

[scolls]

I tend to agree most of Michigan is racist. I moved back to Harper Woods and when I told a former friend of mine who lives in Sterling Heights this, the first thing he said was, I hear there are a lot of blacks now in Harper Woods. Harper Woods used to be a mostly white city. Now, i would say it about 60/40. Sterling Heights popped up in the 70's after the Detroit riots as a destination for whites fleeing Detroit. My friend said why do I want to live south of 8 Mile, and I said you don't have to come here, and well, he hasn't. I have only been here 3 weeks and am already making good friends. I also have a college degree. Even if this was the height of the auto industry and I could walk onto a big 3 plant, I wouldn't do it. No way I can handle working in a factory for 30 years.