The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-02-26
UNFINISHED BUSINESS

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study and perpetual conferences
with the properly concerned city
agencies. The nearness of this site
to the Art Center and to Wayne
University. its tie-up with the al
ready established Children's Hos
pital. the possibility of closing off
streets so as TO utilize present city
facilities without blocking main
thoroughfares, its easy accessibility
to working men who will be the
hospitals principal visitors, are
some of the reasons for the desire
to earmark the present site.
Last November the Board OF Ed
ucation recommended the immedi-
ate condemnation Of three blocks
in the area. two running from
Beaubien TO Hastings and lying be-
tween Farnsworth and Theodore,
and a third block bounded by
Frederick. st. Antoine. Farnsworth
and Beaubien. This is where the
first of the buildings. the County
Hospital and the Medical School
would be built. The Institute of
Industrial Health TO study and pre-
vent diseases Of industrial workers
would come later.
Meanwhile, powerful resistance
has organized and is now protest
ing the particular site decided up
on. II this opposition succeeds In
preventing immediate condemna-
ton proceedings of the three blocks
in the area construction OF a medi-
cal center will be delayed far sew
eral years. Your columnist has
been informed that the Medical
Science Center officials would even
be willing TO wait until the end Of
the war before demolishing sim
gle building il only condemnation
OF the three blocks could begin and
and the city, meanwhile, become
the landlord. Positive knowledge
that this will be the site is actually
that important. Completed con-
demnation OF the three blocks is
the green light which will solve
a host Of very complicated prob
lens now facing the planners.
All OF which runs head-on into
problem which the citizens and
the authorities in Detroit have too
long neglected and for which they
they are themselves responsible
decent living space for their col.
ored citizens.
The site selected raises many
questions. Are Negroes in this in
stance TO be ruthlessly treated as
expendables in the. war on disease
and death? Where in the city Of
Detroit could four 10 six thousand
colored citizens find new homes?
Already the Housing Commission
has received over 1900 applica-
tons from Negro war workers who
have families. These are still in
the application stage. That these
1900 applications represent 10000
10 $1,000 persons who are so des-
perste for housing that they. like
a drowning man, grasped at the last
straw OF application must not be
overlooked. Where are the five
big churches and the four little
ones in this area TO relocate even
il condemnation paid them . fair
sum with which TO start overf Ger
tainly Detroit does not want TO de-
prive q reported 1000 Negroes Of
their places Of worship, which also
happen TO be the only assembly
places open TO Negroes for their
almost nightly civic meetings
What about the colored brothers
who have spent the best years Of
their lives building a business in
the area? Where can they start
anew,
These are questions which COM
plicste the problem and which De-
troit must answer. They blast wide
open the whole issue Of decent
housing for Negroes in Detroit.
They cannot be answered by tenn
porting. To say that the Medical
Center would require only gradual
demolition is no remedy. The end
result is the same. Further over
crowding Of present housing would
only make worse the already un-
just health problem. To criticize
as short-sighted the Negroes who
have an interest in the area and
who are leading the opposition Is,
IL seems TO me. to indicate ignor-
ance Of the need OF Negroes for
housing in Detroit. 1t also indi-
Gates lack Of understanding OF the
way human beings organize in any
community when they recognize a
threat TO their hard-won economic
gains.
For certainly on the basis Of
human experience we may assume
that the opposition TO the site Is not
entirely due 10 sentimental attach
ments 10 the neighborhood or fear
OF a place 10 so. There are eco
nomic interests. Some are easily
seen. Your columnist. who as you
see doesn't as yet know everything.
went out the other day and counted
the number and tabulsted the vari-
Gus types OF businesses in the IA
block area. He found over 100
ranging from shoe shine stands TO
a modern dry cleaning plant
Grocery stores are the most numer-
Gus Q5). There are 10 cleaning
shops. 9 beauty parlors. 9 restau-
rants. barber shops, etc. all OF
which throw some light on the
propensity of our people to be
concerned about their personal ap-
pearances and their appetites. But
I'm wandering off the subject
Other critics of the opponents OF
the Medical site have asked wheth-
er Negroes will also resist other
progressive changes In their city
which will displace more homes
than does the medical center. These
changes which are certain 10 come
include the Warren Avenue widen
ing. the Hastings superhighway,
and the building OF recrestional
areas. To these critics the answer
should be obvious by now-Hous-
ing.
In fact your columnist Is saying
that the time Is now for our city