By DENEEN BORELLI

In July of 1967, Detroit and Newark were bathed in fire and blood. Anguished and hurt, people in poor and minority communities in these cities had had enough of crippling policies foisted on them by the ruling political establishment. They stood up and screamed for change.

In the collective melees, 66 died, 1,914 were injured and around 8,500 people were arrested.

It was an uprising against police brutality. It was an uprising against poverty. And it was an uprising against urban renewal and the government’s abuse of eminent domain.

Meant to acquire land for public projects, eminent domain was used as a sledgehammer against blacks rather than a scalpel on behalf of the community. Neighborhoods were torn asunder so others didn’t have to see “slums.”

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