Title
Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the release of the Kerner Commission's final report, entitled the Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders.
Body
WHEREAS, In the early hours of July 23, 1967, riots broke out in the city of Detroit, Michigan. The riots began when Detroit police officers raided an unlicensed weekend drinking club and decided to arrest all 82 people inside; and
WHEREAS, Over a period of 5 days, 33 African Americans and 10 Caucasians died as a result of the rioting. One of the most famous, and tragic, deaths was that of 4 year-old Tanya Blanding. She died due to gunfire from a National Guard tank stationed in front of her house; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the 43 deaths, 1,189 people were injured. Over 7,200 people were arrested, including 6,528 adults and 703 juveniles; the youngest was 4 and the oldest was 82. Additionally, more than 2,000 buildings were destroyed; and
WHEREAS, The Detroit riot was just one of 159 race riots that erupted across the United States during the "long, hot summer of 1967"; and
WHEREAS, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed an 11-member National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders on July 28, 1967, while rioting in Detroit was still underway. In his remarks upon signing the order establishing the Commission, Johnson asked for answers to three basic questions about the riots: "What happened? Why did it happen? What can be done to prevent it from happening again and again?"; and
WHEREAS, The Commission was chaired by Otto Kerner, Jr., the Governor of Illinois, and its members included the Mayor of New York, two Senators, two Congressmen, the Founder of defense contractor Litton Industries, the Executive Director of the NAACP, the President of US Steelworkers of America, the Police Chief from Atlanta, Kentucky's Commissioner of Commerce, and a lawyer who was the founder of Americans for Democratic Action; and
WHEREAS, The Commission became known as the "Kerner Commi...
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