His first term became a major test of Young mettle as a leader of a new era and a standard by which the future of African-Americans leadership was destined to be evaluated. The municipal problems remain constant though Young’s popularity soared within the city limits and he eventually was elected to four subsequent terms—a total of 20 years. Young was able to turn the economy around becoming one of the nation’s most visible and blunt-speaking mayors. He integrated the police department and was able to promote Black officers, but did not to fully contain its notorious and brutal past.

At each election, Young was able to showcase the positive work of his administration with such accomplishments including the building of the Joe Louis Arena and the RenCen complex. (The RenCen was/is the Renaissance Center complex consisting of 7 interconnected skyscrapers on the city’s international riverfront; it housed the world headquarters of General Motors Corp.). Young was also an avid proponent of Affirmative Action that fueled many of his economic projects which in turn benefited the city coffers. When he was accused of reversed discrimination, he reportedly stated that discrimination needed to be reversed.

He was closely aligned with Washington during the Carter administration and that greatly eased the flow of federal aid to Detroit. However, his skills as a politician, earned him special recognition when Carter was defeated and he was still able to maintain his influence, though to a lesser degree. His fourth and fifth terms were beset by a series of scandals and political upheavals. However, there was never any direct involvement on Young’s part in any of the scandals and he blamed the press for exacerbated the situation.

By the end of his fifth term, it was obviously that his health was diminishing. This propelled him not to seek another term and he exited gracefully to private life. According to the media, Young was more widely reported for failings rather than for his accomplishments. Many Black politicians have credited his leadership and trail-blazing efforts for their successes. He broke down many barriers and removed many obstacles for Blacks especially in the political world. One of his profound quotes is: “Racism is like high blood pressure—the person who has it doesn’t know he has it until he drops over with a goddamned stroke. There are no symptoms of racism. The victim of racism is in a much better position to tell you whether or not you’re a racist than you are.”

Coleman Young died from emphysema in 1997.

“Legends” is the brainchild of Danny J. Bakewell Sr., executive publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel. Every week it will highlight the accomplishments of African Americans and Africans.

Last update: 07-03-2008 00:39

Published in : News, Legends

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