Detroit historian Ken Coleman, contributor to the book Detroit 1967, talks about what to call the civil unrest of 1967, how it impacted the Tigers, and the Tigers’ troubled record on race.
1:39 on what to call the events of 1967 and what difference it makes in how we remember them
5:55 why some Detroiters thought “it can’t happen here”
7:25 why the police raid at 12th & Clairmount sparked the uprising
10:41 the lack of awareness in Tiger Stadium about what was developing
13:36 the historical background of the Tigers’ resistance to integration and its lasting impact
17:44 Willie Horton’s response to the events at 12th & Clairmount
20:06 how Mickey Lolich got called into National Guard duty
21:34 the imbalance in coverage of white violence during the celebration of the 1968 championship
24:06 how to increase African American players and fans in Major League Baseball
27:22 the significance of Paradise Valley, now the site of Comerica Park and Ford Field
30:23 how the same root issues from 1967 remain pressing today