This work appeared on BookTrib on August 4, 2017
The Summer of ’67 was a unique time in America’s history that some fondly remember as a season full of love, music and flower power. Still, for others in major American cities, that summer was awash in civil unrest, where waves of injustice led to rebellion and social change. A new film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring John Boyega, Anthony Mackie, Will Poulter and Algee Smith re-enacts the 1967 incident at Algiers Motel in Detroit that left three young men dead. This event marked a turning point in the civil rights movement when lost innocence gave way to a revolution now undeterred by fear. The youth of the day had seen the worst and they were ready to fight so in the future these things would be only recalled in history books. Unfortunately, we are reminded, daily, that little has changed since then and while there has been progress over the last 50 years, the incidents at Algiers Motel and in the City of Detroit can occur at any time, in any city and people are still rebelling and fighting for justice when it does. For many seeing Detroit in theaters this weekend, this will be their first time hearing of these events. For others, it will be like reliving that time all over again. Whether you are new to this history or can remember where you were when the Detroit crisis began in the summer of 1967, these 13 must-read summer books will give you a better understanding of what really happened there and set up a clear context for viewing the film afterward.
Aisha K. Staggers 