Page 9 - The Wayne Dispatch

MARCH, Continued from page 8
planned. After all the pieces were
put together, we had nearly 1500
people in the march,” said Bishop
Shelby. He said the sanctuary at
Burning Bush seats 1300 people. “I
know what 1200-1300 looks like
from the sanctuary. “The march was
so long at one time, it was all the way
down Van Born and Merriman.”
Darcel pauses for a moment. “I
was one of the organizers because it
took a whole team to put this to-
gether. One of the most gratifying mo-
ments was just seeing all of the
people who came out to support us
who were of different ethnic back-
grounds and color--Black, White,
Arab, elected officials, promoting
peace and equality peacefully.” The peaceful prayer walk with community leaders and protesters on their way to Attwood Park in Wayne. Photo by Ryan Wright
What did Bishop Shelby think
was the most gratifying moment of poignant sign “It Could’ve Been Me… throughout the Wayne County area is Strong asserted, “we don’t need a
the event? He replied “Just the out- My Dad…Your Son…You.” to be a model for the nation to follow Black Lives Matter movement.”
pouring of support. To have the may- All ages participated in the walk. in policing. “We need to change mentalities,”
ors of all four cities, that is Westland, Although the walkers were predomi- Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong stressed Bishop Shelby, not just poli-
Romulus, Inkster and Wayne. To nately Black, there were other races told the gathering at Attwood Park, cies. “The way that people see people
have them come march with us. To mixed in. Police from Wayne, West- “I’ve been in law enforcement for 21 like you and I, that has to be
have the four police chiefs. To have land, Inkster, Romulus and Detroit years. It’s my life’s work. I love the changed,” he told the gathered
the support of the Wayne County po- walked in solidarity with the commu- job. I have no words for how painful crowd.
lice department. To have politi- nity. Westland Police Chief Jeff Je- that was to see that (referring to the Wayne Mayor John Rhaesa
cians.…It was a collective effort of drusik spoke to the crowd George Floyd video.) I just want shared a story of his Black friend
overall support.” assembled for the walk. everyone here to know that the type who had won a boxing champi-
The Black Lives Matter Prayer “Community partnership is how of hatred and violence that we saw onship in New York City. They were
Walk was led by two people carrying we are going to move forward and from those former officers now incar- all trying to get to his victory party.
a banner with photos of George how we are going to have to focus on cerated does not represent the poli- No cab would stop for the group.
Floyd and Breonna Taylor, a 26-year getting beyond all of this.” He said cies, practices or spirit of the Wayne The Black people in the group
old African American who was shot that just like in any profession, bad police department. “We need leader- stepped away while Mayor Rhaesa
by police in Louisville in March. The people find a way to infiltrate a sys- ship in the churches, leadership in was able to get a cab to stop. The
banner read “In Defense of Black tem and that it’s the police chief’s job the community. We need leadership friends all rushed into the cab and
Lives.” The parade of peaceful pro- to get rid of those people. “Nobody in law enforcement. We need leader- they went on to the party. Racism ex-
testers included signs that read dislikes a bad policeman more than ship in all levels of government, local, ists.
“Color is not a Crime,” “Why is End- the good ones do. They tarnish our state and federal. I am here to give Mayor Rhaesa ended his remarks
ing Racism a Debate?” “Racism is reputation, and they ruin our com- you my word that I’m going to do my with a reference to the Mandisa song
the Real Pandemic,” “My Weapon is munity’s trust.” Chief Jedrusik part as police chief of the Wayne po- with lyrics of We all bleed the same.
Prayer,” and perhaps the most closed his comments by saying that lice department. I just hope that “We have to love each other! …To-
his goal and that of law enforcement whenever my time comes” Chief gether, we can be the change.”
Did you know Malcolm X had ties to Wayne?

In August 1952 Malcolm Little week. Almost immediately he got a ignorance he did so, but as a consci-
was released from prison in Massa- job at the Gar Wood plant in Wayne, entious objector he ensured that he
chusetts after serving 5 years. He which made garbage trucks. At Gar would be rejected. The FBI would
was put on parole, limiting where he Wood many of the jobs for blacks monitor him and his activities for
could travel and having a condition were dirty and dangerous, and Mal- the rest of his life. At both jobs Mal-
that he be employed. Little moved to colm was hired to follow behind colm was said to be a pioneer in
Inkster to live with his older brother welders and grind their welds. He turning to the east and kneeling for
Wilfred and sister-in-law Ruth. In considered it a miserable, monoto- prayers while working on an assem-
January 1953 Malcolm began work- nous job and felt caged. In February bly line.
ing at the Wayne Ford Assembly 1953 the Detroit FBI came to Gar In May 1953 his parole was com-
plant as a final assembler putting car Wood and pulled Malcolm off the pleted and he was free to travel
bodies on the frame. The plant was line, still wearing his overalls and again. His temple in Detroit pro-
recovering from a worker strike at goggles. moted him to Assistant Minister and
the time and was very understaffed. They informed him that he had so he quit his blue collar job at Gar
Due to the strenuous work and lack not registered for the draft and that Wood. He continued to live in Inkster
Malcolm (Little) X of help on the line he quit after 1 he needed to do so at once. Feigning until 1964.
The Wayne Dispatch · July 2020 · 9