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Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts

Detroit Race Riot

1943
Michigan
Era
Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts
Year
1943
Location
Michigan
Status
Historical record
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Black community of Detroit
Forces
Black residents; eventually ~6,000 federal troops under Major General Henry Aurand deployed to restore order
VS
Victor
White rioters / Federal government (tactical)
Forces
White mobs
Outcome
34 killed (25 Black, 9 white); 433 injured; $2 million in property damage. Federal troops restored order after three days. Most of the killing was done by whites; most of those arrested were Black.
The Battle

History & Significance

One of the most serious racial uprisings in American history, occurring during WWII when 200,000 Black workers had migrated to Detroit for war industry jobs. Overcrowded housing and white resistance to Black access to public facilities and housing was the underlying cause. President Roosevelt's deployment of federal troops was a significant federal use of military force in a domestic racial conflict. The riot had parallels in other war industry cities.

Casualties & Losses

34 killed, 433 injured, 1,800+ arrested

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Detroit Race Riot take place?
Detroit Race Riot took place in 1943.
Where was Detroit Race Riot fought?
Detroit Race Riot was fought in Michigan, United States.
What was the outcome of Detroit Race Riot?
34 killed (25 Black, 9 white); 433 injured; $2 million in property damage. Federal troops restored order after three days. Most of the killing was done by whites; most of those arrested were Black.
What was the significance of Detroit Race Riot?
One of the most serious racial uprisings in American history, occurring during WWII when 200,000 Black workers had migrated to Detroit for war industry jobs. Overcrowded housing and white resistance to Black access to public facilities and housing was the underlying cause. President Roosevelt's depl
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Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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