1984 Millender Center Groundbreaking Ceremony

2015.008.320
https://detroithistorical.pastperfectonline.com/archive/2AEA49C8-A534-4100-B913-500578401741

U-Matic tape containing footage shot at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Millender Center on March 1, 1984. The footage appears to have been recorded over footage of Mayor Coleman A. Young's press conference on October 4, 1983 concerning the Detroit Police Department, and the resignation of Detroit Transportation Director John Potts, Jr., as a portion of this press conference remains at the end of the tape.

The tape begins with the ground breaking ceremony. First a series of speakers address the audience from a podium on a mobile stage. The "Do It In Detroit" campaign logo serves as the stage's backdrop, and a rendering showing the completed Millender Center is on an easel beside the podium. The tape opens with a quick shot of developer Henry Hagood, clad in a hard hat, standing behind the podium. Following a cut, Forest City Dillon's vice president Ronald Ratner appears behind the podium to begin the ceremony. He welcomes the crowd, mentions a delay in the program, and discusses his company's involvement in the project. During his speech, the camera pans across the other officials seated on stage.

Ratner calls Louise Millender to the podium. She thanks Young, Hagood, and Ratner, and discusses the political "seeds" cultivated by her late husband Robert Millender'--John Conyers, Robert Tindal, George Crockett, Erma Henderson, Maryann Mahaffey, and finally Mayor Young whom she jokes about.

Following another cut, Erma Henderson appears behind the microphone, clad in a hard hat. She invokes Robert Millender's legacy through the seeds that Louise Millender mentioned.

Next, after another cut, Governor James Blanchard addresses the audience. He notes the public and private partnerships behind the project, jokes about remakes Young made about Ronald Reagan off-camera, and discusses how Detroit's growth will be aided by the project. He then presents Al Ratner with a State of Michigan flag, and a copy of a resolution honoring Robert Millender to be displayed in the building. As Al Ratner approaches the mic to address the crowd, the recording cuts.

The recording resumes with Robert Ratner having just introduced Coleman Young at the podium. Young then talks about riverfront development ranging from the Detroit Free Press plant on the west side to the Grayhaven housing development on the eastside. To refute the reoccurring criticism of development as being focused downtown, he points out that these eastern riverfront projects are outside of downtown. He also urges the crowd to support the Robert Millender memorial fund.

After Young finishes his remarks, silent footage begins of the actual groundbreaking. Using a five-handled shovel, Hagood, Henderson, Young, Millender, Max Ratner, and Blanchard turn the first piece of earth and pose for the camera. Roger Cline, senior vice-president of Omni/Dunfey poses beside the group. White and purple balloons are released beside the Wayne County Building in the background.

Following a gap in the tape, a remnant of an earlier recording resumes--with Mayor Young seated beside Chief William Hart of the Detroit Police Department at a press conference held on October 4, 1983. The fragment begins with Young, apparently responding to a question from the crowd, noting that the suburbs share Detroit's issues with narcotics. He gets a laugh from the audience by joking about "Young Girls" as a play on the name of Young Boys Incorporated. He then responds to an off microphone series of questions about the resignation of Detroit Transportation Director John Potts, Jr. He mentions appointing Ronald Hewitt to take over the position on a "sort of receivership basis." The recording ends while Young is mid-answer to a question about the state of the Department of Transportation.

The recordings are on an 18-minute U-Matic S tape with a handwritten City of Detroit Department of Public Information Video Production label on its top. The tape is housed within black plastic latching case with a matching typewritten label on its cover.

Видео 1984 Millender Center Groundbreaking Ceremony канала Detroit Historical Society