Community book community book of powershell practices released in our new git repo. The history of gm poletown and its impact on detroit citylab. Special thanks to the late journalist and author jeanie wylie, whose book poletown. Despite the title, most of this book is devoted to a detailed. General motors had the full backing of detroits city government, especially that of thenmayor coleman young. In the book labor divided edited by robert asher and charles stephenson,1 the polish worker is well represented. Metropolitan books, henry holt and company new york. Can poletown come back after a general motors shutdown. Yarts showcases the art of film ymca of metropolitan. Albertus roman catholic church, which opened in 1871 and closed in 1990. Police swept the homeless off the streets to project a goodly image to the world. Wed get outright grants and subsidies in spain, in mexico, in brazil all kinds of grants. A community betrayed, that it was given the name to recognize the struggle of the poletown neighborhood to keep their homes. For nader, the story of poletown is not just history but a.
More than 4,200 residents lost their homes when the neighborhood was demolished to make way for the plant, according to poletown community betrayed, written by jeanie wylie in 1989. Looking for real justice local news detroit detroit. Second, you can remind gm and the american people how in 19801981, gm demanded the city of detroit use a quick take eminent domain statute to take over and demolish the poletown. Poletown east is a neighborhood area of detroit, michigan, bordering the enclave city of hamtramck.
An inquiry into meaning and truth, penguin books, new york. A community betrayed, and excerpts of the documentary were shown on cbss sunday morning program. And thats what happened in detroits poletown 25 years ago. Jun 15, 2018 ovshinskys harveys landmark documentary, land grab.
And colman young basically said well get you a field in detroit may2409, 09. Community betrayed, was published by university of illinois press 1989. The poletown area would not have attracted middle income earners of both black and white races and today, with detroit being more than 80% black, many middle income earning black people are even moving out of the many primary and secondary, innerring suburbs that surround detroit to further outlying areas away from detroit. The assembly line, the old country, the church detroits back to the wall poletown exchanged for cadillacs this isnt russia. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. For more information about the poletown controversy, see jeannie wylie, poletown. Jeanie wylie university of illinois press, urbana, usa, 1989, 259 pp.
The story is told boldly by an activist, not an academic. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers. And colman young basically said well get you a field in detroit. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The gmcity hall conspiracy to destroy poletown inspired jeanie wylie to produce a film, poletown lives. Its definitive about the history of the razing of immaculate conception parish. The metro times called ovshinskys career chronicling life in detroit during the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s a colorful and fantastic voyage, at times brave and visionary, spanning the. Along with lawyer george corsetti, she created poletown lives. In retrospect, gms poletown plant was a pretty terrible idea. General motors had the full backing of detroits city. My late wife jeanie wylie documented this in her 1990 book poletown.
Poletown in the midst of power and exchange iowa state university. To save itself, a canadian magazine moved to detroit. This book is about the ramifications of raw corporate power going unchecked. May 11, 2008 more than 4,200 residents lost their homes when the neighborhood was demolished to make way for the plant, according to poletown community betrayed, written by jeanie wylie in 1989. In retrospect, gms poletown plant was a pretty terrible. Looking for real justice what we can learn from a corktown attack. Moving into the neighborhood of the detroit catholic worker, she began to write for its paper, on the edge, and joined its surrounding circle of anti. Johns outside the walls, which met monthly for mass and a social.
Community betrayed by wylie, jeanie at the best online prices at ebay. To accommodate gm detroit officials would have to obtain title to 1400 homes, 144 businesses, and 16 churches using the legal process of eminent domain. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Volume 8, issue 1, pages 280 february 1991 download full issue. Community betrayed, with foreword by ralph nader and photographs by david.
It is an important contribution to american studies. The poletown plant was promised as a way forward for both the city of detroit. Canadian magazine turns to detroit, millennial women to help. The powersthatbe play pilate enter ralph nader swat team seizes the church poletown priest buried with its past.
Community betrayed, represents the viewpoint that it is an injustice any time a community is sacrificed for the benefit of some external power, and it is widely acknowledged that this expansion of eminent domain gave governments and corporations an unprecedented amount of control over private property. More than 4200 residents of detroits poletown community lost their home. Poletown was settled in the 1870s when the first waves of polish and kashubian immigrants came to detroit, and served as the heart of detroits polish community for many years. Canadian magazine turns to detroit, millennial women to. Community betrayed paperback october 1, 1990 by jeanie wylie author. Corporate executives have become skilled at playing the game. Fighters last rites columns detroit detroit metro times. The area was named after the polish immigrants who originally lived in the area. Gms demands for tax breaks and subsidies and its destruction of a vibrant community was recounted in a 1981 cbs network documentary, whats good for general motors, and in a 1989 book titled, poletown. How auto plant closings changed two michigan communities. Reagans decade of urban neglect and corporate greed.
Dec 07, 2016 corporate executives have become skilled at playing the game. Trump risks cronyist blowout with carrier incentives. The dodge main plant in hamtramck and detroits poletown. University of kansas haskell springer literature in america. The book deals with race and ethnicity in labor struggles from 1835 to 1960. Harvey kurek ovshinsky born april 9, 1948 is an american writer, story consultant, media producer, and teacher, and has been described as one of this countrys finest storytellers by the detroit news. During a period of high unemployment, the city of detroit plans to take a large tract of land belonging to many different private owners and sell it to gm to build a new plant. Despite its title, this is not a coffeetable book, but instead a knowledgeable and. Ford, when i was there, general motors, chrysler, all over the world, we would pit ohio versus michigan. The book documents the 1981 demolition of poletown, a neighborhood in detroit which was obliterated to make room for a cadillac factory. Ovshinskys harveys landmark documentary, land grab. Her best friend, mary dinunzio, has just become partner and is about to become a.
Former auto industry executive lee iacocca described it this way, as captured in the book poletown. In the 1945 school year book, under his graduation picture it is noted that he was a social butterfly. Excerpts of the doc were seen on the cbs sunday morning program. The taking of poletown was featured in jeanie wylies book, poletown. John the evangelist were among the churches slated for. Poletown is the story of the only group in detroit to oppose the construction plan. The neighborhood took shape at the beginning of the 20th century and quickly became a neighborhood, according to poletown. Landowners in the neighborhood sued to stop the project and claimed. Its been done before and none other than detroit automobile legend lee iacocca has said as much, as quoted in the book poletown. Poletown east is a neighborhood area of detroit, michigan, bordering the enclave city of. Jul 23, 2014 ovshinskys harveys landmark documentary, land grab. Community betrayed, university of illinois press, urbana and chicago.
Community betrayed, by jeanie wylie university of illinois press. Community betrayed was used a source for this article. Community betrayed tells the story of how one lower middleclass ethnic neighborhood of 4,200 in detroit was physically destroyed in the name of economic progress. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus.
More than 4,200 residents of detroits poletown community lost their homes in the 1980s when the neighborhood was razed to accommodate construction of a cadillac plant on land where generations of polish immigrants had lived, worked, and worshipped. In retrospect, gms poletown plant was a pretty terrible idea if were. Community betrayed, was about how 4,200 residents in a polish neighborhood lost their homes in the 1980s to make way for a general motors factory that the automaker now plans to close. More than 4,200 residents of detroits poletown community lost their home. Aug 31, 2018 in 1981, urban planners in detroit, michigan, uprooted the largely lowerincome and elderly poletown neighborhood for the bene. The taking of poletown, was featured in jeanie wylies book, poletown. Poles were the ethnic group least likely to abandon detroit, per wylies book. The detroit news described him as one of this countrys finest storytellers. Jan 11, 2006 along with lawyer george corsetti, she created poletown lives. Community betrayed, was about how 4,200 residents in a polish neighborhood lost their homes in the 1980s to make way for a general motors factory that the. When betrayed opens, judy carrier finds herself at a crossroads in her life. Urban renewal projects have long been associated with the displacement of blacks. Detroit hosted super bowl xl in february amidst a city staggering with nearly 50,000 abandoned houses and a 14.
Community betrayed author jeanie wylie, where poles live and retain their customs to such an extent that the whole region more nearly resembles a fraction of poland than a part of a city in the heart of america. In 1981, urban planners in detroit, michigan, uprooted the largely lowerincome and elderly poletown neighborhood for the bene. I remember reading in the poletown a community betrayed book that gm was also looking to build the plant in a green field in oklahoma. This second entry, betrayed, stars judy carrier, who has had the starring role in only one previous rosato book.