The article “Ghetto Farmer Gets Land” published n 1975 by the Chicago Defender gives the details of Detroit Mayor Coleman Young’s announcement of his “Farm A Lot” program. Young hoped to turn 3,000 empty lots, which he described as “eyesores,” into green gardens. He explained under this new program citizens could grow vegetables and flowers simply by telephoning city hall so officials...
In the early 1970s, representatives of the United Automobile Workers' union presented a picture of deprivation to the City of Detroit. The influential Motor City workers union had created a map which literally illustrated the isolation of urban residents; isolation from any large city-facilitated parks. For residents of the City of Detroit, there are no parks or open spaces within a 30 minute drive...
The journey north along Mt. Elliott St. in Northeast Detroit depicts somber remnants of a thriving past. It takes you along a desolate street with few stores; the only buildings are small warehouses, repair shops, junkyards, and a few small parts stores. Traveling along the corridor, empty lots and abandoned buildings line the streets, remnants of a once-bustling business district. Many of the...
In 2002, senior program mangers Susan Stellar and Moniqua Dent reflected on the legacy and future of Coleman Young’s “Farm-A-Lot” program, which he established in 1974 (for details on the specifics of the program see “Coleman’s Influence on Urban Farming in Detroit”). Both Stellar and Dent believed the program served as a means for communities to become self-reliant. While they had...
In 1999, Detroit activist Harry Gardner wrote in the Michigan Citizen to applaud Detroit activist Grace Lee Boggs’ embrace of John Dewey’s educational philosophy. Drawing on Dewey's experiential learning philosophy, Boggs argued that students can effectively learn from being involved with local community-building projects. Gardner, likewise, declared he believed “there is no better time achieve...
There is a startling contrast between the city of Detroit and its neighboring suburb of Grosse Pointe. You start in Detroit being surrounded by poverty and then suddenly, as you drive north to Grosse Pointe, you have the opposite side of the spectrum. It is extremely well-off, with mansions and perfectly manicured lawns. You go from one extreme to the other in a matter of minutes. While some blame...
In 1975, Lucille Smith and Marguerite R. Kelly, a Health Specialist and an Community Services Specialist at the Detroit Urban League, set out on a mission to educate pre-school students and their parents about the importance of nutrition. Inspired by the possibility of improving dietary habits for not only the children, but also the parents and school administrators, Smith and Kelly planned activities...
The 1973 edition of the Chevrolet Emission Control Systems reference manual is a special supplement to the standard mechanic’s repair reference. General Motors produced this manual as a guide for its dealer-level mechanics, who would be tasked with repairing and adjusting emission control systems for Chevrolet owners. The manual contains a host of novel names and corresponding acronyms for parts...
On returning home from Vietnam, some veterans were asked to testify before Congressional committees regarding their actions during the war. Rusty Sachs, a member of the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 362, testified before Congress and explained his recollection of destroying villages and killing innocent civilians. Approximately twenty other soldiers testified from various branches of the armed...
The air was electric with anticipation as a substantial crowd of jazz enthusiasts, free thinkers, day trippers, beat poets and social activists waited for the captivating headliners, experimental improvisational ensemble Groit Galaxy, to begin their set at the Bandstand on Belle Isle, Detroit. The six sweating figures on stage held their instruments and waited in the summer afternoon heat for a cue...