Det(riot)ers: The Rise and Fall of the Detroit Rumor Control Center, 1967-1970 Público

Abstract

For American historians, the riots accompanying the long, hot summers of 1967 and 1968 highlighted the nation’s failure to meaningfully improve the day-to-day lives of black Americans. However, the historical literature on this period has consistently overlooked the development of a novel form of urban surveillance—the rumor control center—as a consequence of these riots. The social scientific literature that exists on the subject likewise fails to identify the historically contingent nature of these centers. Correspondingly, this paper seeks to establish a historical framework for the evaluation of rumor control centers by examining the case study of Detroit’s center. I ultimately make two conclusions about the Detroit rumor control center. First, the center implicates not only the historical importance of the 1967 riots, but also the significance of civil rights and law enforcement agencies like the Community Relations Service and Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. Second, Detroit’s unique history contributed to the trajectory of both the center’s rapid ascendancy and its precipitous decline. Ultimately, this paper finds the Detroit rumor control center to be a unique case meriting further comparative study.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...............................................................................1

ORIGINS OF THE LONG HOT SUMMER...........................................10

THE RISE OF THE DETROIT RUMOR CONTROL CENTER................32

THE FALL OF THE DETROIT RUMOR CONTROL CENTER...............51

CONCLUSION...................................................................................70

BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................74

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	History
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies African American Studies History, United States
Palavra-chave	Jerome P. Cavanagh rumor control center rumor control Detroit Detroit riot, 1967 long, hot summer
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Jason Morgan Ward, Emory University
Committee Members	Joseph Crespino, Emory University Andra Gillespie, Emory University

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