Michigan Journal

Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Halston Herrera

Media Credit: Halston Herrera

Few would argue that the turbulent times of the 1960s resounded in every corner of the country. However, the years leading up to, and following, the civil rights movements could especially be seen in Detroit.

The Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement (DRUM) and the League of Revolutionary Black Workers labored in the years following the 1967 Detroit riots to abolish the social and economic system that favored white supremacy. Their struggle into history is one of the most rich, and remembered.

The Motor City Voices Exhibit at the University of Michigan-Dearborn highlights the contributions of Detroit activists to the labor and community movements post-1967.

The exhibit stems from research by the university's Center for the Study Automotive Heritage under the direction of economics professor Bruce Pietrykowski.

The exhibit lines one wall of the gallery, depicting biographical sketches of community leaders and historical information regarding the movements they led in Detroit. Biographical spotlights include General Baker, founder of UHURU and famous for the situation surrounding his firing from Dodge Main in 1968; Grace Lee Goggs, a Chinese-American who shared her first-hand experience of racism through intellectual activism; Mike Hamlin, an integral member of the League of Revolutionary Black Workers; Marian Kramer, noted for her involvement with the Inner City Voice and the Michigan Welfare Rights Association; Jim Jacobs, associate director for Community College Operations at the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, Columbia University; Kenneth Cockrel, Sr., known for his advocacy against racial practices through his work in law.

"Many people take what happened during the 60s as something negative, but, in reality, it was the spark that started people thinking and what revolutionized the civil rights movement in this area," said Pietrykowski.

The exhibit also contains a video kiosk that shows clips of oral histories by the community leaders.

According to the exhibit guide, the significance of examining the time period during the late 1960s to the 1970s in terms of social, labor and economic movements will help understand the discourse, debates, problem definition, and proposed solutions to conflicts that confront us today around unemployment, poverty, inequality, technological change in the workforce, class division and racism.

Pietrykowski said he recently ordered a plaque to be hung in the exhibit dedicating it to the community leaders who lived through the history and shared their stories.

The project was funded in part by the Michigan Humanities Council with a $15,000 grant. The research and exhibit organization was done by Pietrykowski, Kae Halonen, students Sriya Shrestha, Kenny Garcia, Jason Pacyau and museum studies intern Adam Johnson.

The Motor City Voices Exhibit is in the Berkowitz Gallery, third floor of the Mardigian Library, until Nov. 9. The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p,m.

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