Michigan Minute

1938: Detroit's beloved Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis achieved a monumental victory by knocking out German boxer Max Schmeling. This rematch held far more significance than their previous bout in 1936. With the Third Reich gaining strength and the world on the brink of war, Louis wasn't just representing Detroit; he symbolized America. Prior to the match, Louis visited the White House at President Roosevelt's invitation. Recalling the encounter in his autobiography, Louis recounted Roosevelt's words: "America is never supposed to lose." Louis responded confidently, promising to fulfill that expectation. True to his word, Louis defeated Max Schmeling with a first-round knockout, solidifying his status as a national hero.

1943: US Supreme Court upholds America's World War II Japanese Internment Camps in the case of Hirabayashi vs. The United States. Supreme Court Justice and former Governor of Michigan, Frank Murphy, expressed his strong dissent, stating, “I dissent, therefore, from this legalization of racism. Racial discrimination in any form and in any degree has no justifiable part whatever in our democratic way of life. It is unattractive in any setting, but it is utterly revolting among a free people who have embraced the principles set forth in the Constitution of the United States. All residents of this nation are kin in some way by blood or culture to a foreign land. Yet they are primarily and necessarily a part of the new and distinct civilization of the United States. They must accordingly be treated at all times as the heirs of the American experiment and as entitled to all rights and freedoms guaranteed by the constitution.”

1931: James Tolkan, renowned hard-nosed character actor was born in Calumet, Michigan. Tolkan is perhaps best known for portraying Principal Strickland in the Back to the Future films with his catchphrase admonition, "You're a slacker!" 1943: Amidst World War II, a population boom strained housing resources in Detroit. So, Michigan announced the desegregation of housing, triggering violent riots and looting by racist white Detroiters. The unrest lasted a day and a half until it was quelled by Detroit Police, Michigan State troopers, and Federal Troops. Tragically, the riot resulted in 34 deaths, with 25 of them being Black Americans, while 75% of the wounded were also Black.

1865: Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19th of that year, Union soldiers, under Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas, bringing the news of the end of the Civil War and the emancipation of the enslaved people. Notably, Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, who spent her youth in Lansing, Michigan, spoke about Juneteenth during a commemoration at Manhattan's African Burial Ground in 2014.

1923: The first Checker Cab made its debut, but not in New York or Chicago. Rather, it rolled down the streets of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Founded by Morris Markin in Chicago, the company relocated to Kalamazoo due to its skilled auto labor. The iconic yellow cab, adorned with white wall tires and a black and white checked stripe, swiftly became an American icon. After immigrating to the United States from Russia and transitioning into auto manufacturing during WWI, Morris Markin seized the opportunity to invest in a struggling auto company, which would become The Checker Cab Manufacturing Company.

1913: Detroit witnessed the first of many historic automobile strikes, marking not only the city's first auto strike but also the first in the nation. Workers at multiple Studebaker plants in Detroit initiated the strike and were represented by The Industrial Workers of the World, a union with approximately 200 members. The intertwined history of Detroit and other cities in Michigan as both car towns and union towns underscores their pivotal role in shaping American labor conditions for the better. Through strikes, Michigan's workers have contributed to securing fair wages, stable employment, safer work environments, and predictable hours for industrial workers nationwide.

1855: University of Michigan President Harry Tappan aimed to persuade the Michigan Legislature to bring the establishment of an agricultural college within the umbrella of the University of Michigan. But John C. Holmes, secretary of the Michigan State Agricultural Society, countered Tappan's proposal, arguing that young farmers wouldn't receive adequate attention within the existing university in Ann Arbor. The legislature agreed with Holmes, making the future MSU an institution separate from the U of M.

1836: Michigan secured control of the Upper Peninsula as part of a resolution to a boundary dispute with Ohio. Both claimed the mouth of the Maumee River (present-day Toledo). The compromise reached in Congress awarded Toledo to Ohio and granted Michigan immediate statehood along with the Upper Peninsula. While Ohio celebrated the outcome, but Michigan was initially less enthusiastic. However, today the UP stands as a hidden gem, often overlooked by those outside the Great Lakes Region.

2012: The Michigan House of Representatives censured Democratic Representatives Lisa Brown and Barb Byrum amid a contentious anti-abortion debate. Representative Brown defended her actions, citing her use of the word "vagina" during the debate and questioning the difference in using anatomically correct terms like "elbow." 1976: Detroit's Hudson's Department Store retired the world's largest flag, a 7-story flag used for patriotic holidays. It required 55 people to place it on the department store and over a mile of rope. The retired flag was later donated to the Smithsonian Institution.

2002: The Detroit Red Wings clinched their third Stanley Cup victory in six years by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1. However, the celebration was tempered by the announcement of coach Scotty Bowman's retirement. 1953: The birthday of actor and comedian Tim Allen. Though born in Colorado, his family moved to Michigan during his childhood. He transitioned from a rocky past involving drug charges in the late 70s to a successful career in comedy. In 1994, he achieved a remarkable feat, with the most-watched TV show, highest-grossing film, and bestselling book in North America simultaneously for one week.