July 29th 2024.
On a warm summer day in Detroit, a new historical marker was erected, bringing attention to a tragic event that occurred 57 years ago. The marker was placed at the site of the Algiers Motel, where three Black teenagers, Fred Temple, Carl Cooper, and Aubrey Pollard, were senselessly murdered by white law enforcement during the civil riots of 1967. After decades of waiting, the families of the victims finally received the acknowledgement they deserved from the city.
The three young men, whose lives were taken at the Algiers Motel on Woodward Avenue, are well-known as victims of the "Detroit Uprising." At the dedication memorial, members of the Temple, Cooper, and Pollard families gathered alongside longtime Detroit political figures and activists. The event was also attended by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, and respected activists and historians. It was a moment of remembrance and reflection for all those affected by this tragedy.
Lt. Gov. Gilchrist spoke about the significance of the historical marker, stating, "We decided that we were going to build and strengthen one another. Even in the face of setbacks that came to the Temple family, the Pollard family, and the Cooper family, their resolve was strengthened day by day." The marker serves as a symbol of unity and resilience in the face of injustice and serves as a reminder to never forget the lives lost during the rebellion.
The Algiers Motel was not only the site of the three teenagers' murders, but it was also where two white women and seven other Black men were brutally beaten by Detroit city police and National Guardsmen. In an emotional interview with CBS News, Lee Forsyth, a friend of the victims who witnessed their deaths, expressed his pain and disbelief at the events that unfolded that night. "I can see my room right there. I've been here twice in the past 57 years. This is great, the memorial. It's for someone else to remember. I don't want to remember it," he said.
Mayor Duggan also spoke at the dedication, acknowledging that this day should have happened a long time ago. He expressed his pride in being the mayor when this historic marker was placed, emphasizing the importance of teaching future generations about this dark time in history.
Historian Danielle McGuire, who has dedicated much of her career to uncovering the truth about that fateful night, also shared her thoughts on the historical marker. She stated that it serves as a symbol that the history will not be suppressed and highlights the importance of never forgetting a time when the Detroit Police Department was predominantly white. "By remembering the lives of Aubrey Pollard, Carl Cooper, and Fred Temple, and everyone who was harmed here that night, we combat the dangers of forgetting, and we work together to build a better world where this kind of brutality and violence is not repeated," said McGuire.
The civil unrest of 1967 began after a police raid on an unlicensed bar in a predominantly Black neighborhood on the West Side of Detroit. This intensified the already tense relationship between law enforcement and residents, leading to five days of chaos starting on July 23, 1967. The city was in turmoil, with 43 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and thousands of arrests. The youngest victim was 4-year-old Tayna Blanding, who tragically lost her life after being hit by a police officer's bullet in her apartment building.
The historical marker at the Algiers Motel stands as a reminder of the events that took place during that tumultuous time in Detroit's history. It serves as a tribute to the lives lost and a call to action to never forget the past and strive for a better, more just future.
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