JUST 23 YEARS
OLD.
HER STEPDAUGHTER IS 20.>>> YOU
MAY QUESTION WHY DID THE 1967
RIOTS HAPPENED?
>> WHAT WAS THE SPARK THAT
CALLED -- CAUSED ALL OF THE
VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION.
WE'RE LOOKING BACK TO LOOK
FORWARD 50 YEARS LATER.
>>> OVER THE NEXT NINE WEEKS WE
WILL BE DOING STORIES LEADING
UP TO THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF
THE 1967 RIOTS.
YOU WILL FIND PEOPLE GOING TO
DIFFERENT REASONS FOR THE
UPRISING OR REBELLION, WHATEVER
YOU CALL IT.
THE MOST IS THE WAY DETROIT
POLICE TREATED MINORITIES
LIVING IN THE CITY.
THE MAN WHO HAD A FRONT ROW
SEAT TO IT ALL IS FORMER
DETROIT POLICE CHIEF, MIKE
McKINNON.>> ♪ [ MUSIC ]
WALK INTO ISAIAH IKE McKINNON'S
OFFICE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
DETROIT MERCY, YOU WILL SEE HOW
THE DECORATED FORMER DETROIT
RELEASED TO PROFESSOR, AUTHOR,
AND PROUD GRANDPA HAS LIVED HIS
LIFE.>> THE BASEBALL FIELD USED
TO BE OVER THERE.
>> THE ECHOES OF GROWING UP
HERE, ONCE PLAGUED BY ABUSE BY
POLICE, CONTINUE TO PLAY HIS
MIND.>> IT IS CALLED THE BIG
FOUR.
FOR VERY LARGE WHITE OFFICERS.>>
THEY WOULD JUMP OUT WITH THEIR
MACHINE GUN AND RIFLE.
AND THEY WOULD THROW THESE MEN
AGAINST THE CAR.
AND THEY WOULD BEAT THEM UP.
>> THESE WERE FIVE MEMBERS HAVE
BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT AND SHARED
IN THE DETROIT REDRESS -- FREE
PRESS DOCUMENTARY.
THE STORIES BECAME REAL WHEN I
LISTEN TO McKINNON RECALL HIS
EXPERIENCE.>> THE BIG FOUR.
THEY GRABBED ME, THREW ME
AGAINST THE CAR AND THE NAME-
CALLING AND THEN PROCEEDED TO
BEAT ME UP.
>> THAT DID SOMETHING TO YOU,
RIGHT?
>> THAT EVENIN I MADE A
DECISION THAT I WOULD BECOME A
DETROIT POLICE OFFICER.
>> AT 22, HE BECAME AN
OFFICER.>> THERE WERE OFFICERS
WHO WERE THERE WHO WANTED IT
NOT TO BE INTEGRATED.
>> [ BACKGROUND NOISE AFTER
ONLY TWO YEARS ON THE FORCE,
DETROITERS ANGER WOULD BOIL
OVER AND ERUPTED INTO THE 1967
REBELLION.
>> OUR THOUGHTS IS THAT IT
WOULD NOT HAPPEN HERE.
THE REALITY WAS, WE DIDN'T
REALIZE HOW ANGRY PEOPLE REALLY
WERE.
>> WITH RIOTING WHERE HE LIVED,
I CAME HERE TO HIS PARENTS HOME
AND HIS OLD NEIGHBORHOOD.
I SERVED FOUR YEARS IN THE AIR
FORCE, RECEIVED -- AND SAW
TANKS ROLLING UP DOWN THE
STREET, AND IT BROUGHT ABOUT A
DIFFERENT FEAR.
>> I STARTED SEEING OFFICERS
AND NATIONAL GUARDS PEOPLE SHOOT
INDISCRIMINATELY AT HOUSES.
>> THE GUNS WERE NOT JUST AIMED
AT HOMES, I FOUND A WEAPON
DRAWN ON HIM BY A FELLOW
OFFICER DURING THE RIOTING.
>> HE SAID GET OUT OF THE CAR.
THEY USE THE RACIALLY
DEROGATORY TERM.
I SAID POLICE.
>> IKE REFUSED TO QUIT THE FORCE
AS SO MANY DID.
>> I HAD TO STAY BECAUSE I WAS
NOT GOING TO BE A VICTIM OF MY
ANGER.
>> FOR MANY, THAT ANGER STILL
QUIETLY SIMMERS.>> I HAVE TO
CONTINUALLY [ INDISCERNIBLE ] I
HAVE TO GIVE THEM HOPE.
>> WE HAVE TO LEARN FROM OUR
MISTAKES SO THE ECHOES OF THE
PAST WILL BE FOREVER SILENCED.
>> WE TEND TO FORGET OR
SOMETIMES PEOPLE WANT US TO
FORGET.
WE CAN FORGET WHAT HAPPENED.>>
CERTAINLY RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
WE WILL HAVE A SPECIAL SHOWING
OF THE DETROIT STREET PRESS
DOCUMENTARY FILM ON SUNDAY,
JULY 23 ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF
THE 1967 RIOTS.
THIS FILM WAS DONE IN
COLLABORATION WITH CHANNEL 7
AND BRIDGE MAGAZINE.
IT WILL AIR IN 7:00.
IT IS A POWERFUL PART OF OUR
HISTORY.
YOU WILL NEVER FORGET IT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO
LOOK BACK BUT WE OFTEN LOOK
BACK TO LEARN.>> IT IS SO GOOD
TO HEAR FROM THE CHIEF.
SO MUCH OF THAT WAS REBELLION
AND UPRISING.>> YOU HAVE TO
REMEMBER THAT HE WAS ONLY 14
WHEN HE WAS BEATEN UP BY THE
BIG FOUR.
HE HAS COME FULL CIRCLE.
>> I THINK HE HAS BEEN A