The University of Chicago Library > The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center > Finding Aids > Guide to the Michigan Governor's Committee to Investigate the Detroit Race Riot Records 1943
© 2006 University of Chicago Library
| Title: | Michigan Governor's Committee to Investigate the Detroit Race Riot. Records |
|---|---|
| Dates: | 1943 |
| Size: | 0.5 linear feet (1 box) |
| Repository: |
Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center |
| Abstract: | The Detroit riot of June 21 and 22, 1943 was one of the most violent racial upheavals to occur in the United States. The clash between white and African American residents, the worst since the Chicago riots of 1919, was finally quelled with the help of federal troops, but left 34 dead and 670 injured. Consists of a report prepared by a committee directed by Michigan governor, Harry F. Kelly, to investigate the riot that took place in Detroit on June 21, 1943. Committee members included Herbert J. Rushton, William E. Dowling, Oscar Olander, and John H. Witherspoon. |
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When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Michigan Governor's Committee to Investigate the Detroit Race Riot. Records, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library
The Detroit riot of June 21 and 22, 1943 was one of the most violent racial upheavals to occur in the United States. The clash between white and African American residents, the worst since the Chicago riots of 1919, was finally quelled with the help of federal troops, but it left 34 dead and 670 injured.
A committee composed of Herbert J. Rushton, the State's Attorney General, William E. Dowling, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney, Oscar C. Olander, the State Police Commissioner, and John H. Witherspoon, the Commissioner of the Detroit Police Force was charged by the Governor of Michigan, Harry F. Kelly, to investigate the circumstances of the rioting, including the possibility of enemy agitation and subversion. The committee concluded, however, that the rioting was a "spontaneous uprising resulting from long-neglected and side-tracked social problems" which could only be solved by "determined, straight-forward, sociological methods."
Consists of a report prepared by a committee directed by Michigan governor, Harry F. Kelly, to investigate the riot that took place in Detroit on June 21, 1943. Committee members included Herbert J. Rushton, William E. Dowling, Oscar C. Olander, and John H. Witherspoon.
The committee report, about 300 pages long, contains a 17 page mimeographed narrative of the riot. This narrative and the committee's subsequent findings are based upon police and hospital statistics concerning the dead and the injured, weapons confiscated, arrests, individuals tried or awaiting trial, looting and other property destruction. Photocopies of police and hospital reports, of weapon displays and police precinct maps constitute the exhibits which accompany the report. A detailed index to these exhibits can be found in Folder 3.
| Box 1 Folder 1 | Title page, Forward |
| Box 1 Folder 2 | Riot Narrative, June 20, June 21 |
| Box 1 Folder 3 | Riot Exhibits 1-32, Index |
| Box 1 Folder 4 | Riot Exhibits 1-4, violent incidents on street cars, October 4, 1942-January 29, 1943; precinct maps of riot areas |
| Box 1 Folder 5 | Riot Exhibits 5-9, violent incidents on street cars, January 2, 1943-June 20, 1943; Belle Isle disturbance, report |
| Box 1 Folder 6 | Riot Exhibits 10-14, Detroit police, duty strength; Presidential proclamation, June 21, 1943; situation in Detroit prior to use of Federal troops, police report; arrests, arranged by precincts, by race |
| Box 1 Folder 7 | Riot Exhibits 15-16, arrests, male juveniles, June 21-June 25, by race; arrests, investigation arrests, arranged by precinct, race, age |
| Box 1 Folder 8 | Riot Exhibit 17, misdemeanor and felony arrests, riot, arranged by precinct |
| Box 1 Folder 9 | Riot Exhibit 17, misdmeanor and felony arrests, pending, arranged by precinct |
| Box 1 Folder 10 | Riot Exhibit 18, dead and injured, hospital admittances |
| Box 1 Folder 11 | Riot Exhibit 19, dead and injured, overall statistics; deaths, synopses of incidents |
| Box 1 Folder 12 | Riot Exhibit 19, dead and injured, police officers |
| Box 1 Folder 13 | Riot Exhibit 19, dead and injured, June 20, 8,30 PM-June 21, 8,15 AM |
| Box 1 Folder 14 | Riot Exhibit 19, dead and injured, June 21, 8,15 AM-June 21, 3,50 PM |
| Box 1 Folder 15 | Riot Exhibit 19, dead and injured, June 21, 3,55 PM-June 21, 8,45 PM |
| Box 1 Folder 16 | Riot Exhibit 19, dead and injured, June 21, 8,45 PM-June 23, 5,09 PM |
| Box 1 Folder 17 | Riot Exhibits 20-21, property destruction, autos, buildings |
| Box 1 Folder 18 | Riot Exhibit 22, looting |
| Box 1 Folder 19 | Riot Exhibits 23-24, confiscated weapons, lists, photos; arrests, analysis summary |
| Box 1 Folder 20 | Riot Exhibit 25, Riot offenses, analysis and summary |
| Box 1 Folder 21 | Riot Exhibit 26-27, Riot arrests, investigation arrests, court cases |
| Box 1 Folder 22 | Riot Exhibit 28-29, Riot arrests, investigation arrests, arranged by age and race |
| Box 1 Folder 23 | Background of riot, report of the Committee |
| Box 1 Folder 24 | Background of riot, racial discrimination, photocopies of newspaper editorials, magazine articles, miscellaneous documents |
| Box 1 Folder 25 | Background of riot, narcotics, lists of drug stores looted |