Eva Amine
Title
Eva Amine
Description
Eva Amine was 12 years old in July of 1967. She remembers her grandfather determination to keep his store open and provide food for the people of Detroit.
Publisher
Detroit Historical Society
Date
06/21/2016
Rights
Detroit Historical Society, Detroit, MI
Format
Text
Language
en-US
Type
Written Story
Text
I was 12 years old and heading up north with my neighbor, and best friend, and her family to visit their cottage.
While driving, a State Trooper pulled our car over and told my friend's father that he was needed back at the Precinct. He was a Lieutenant with the Detroit Police Force.
We may have had an escort all the way back to our East Side homes near City Airport, but I'm not sure I remember correctly and don't want to lie.
I was hustled into my grandparent's house and met with loud voices and tears .... the adults were 'talking' to my Grandfather. The Lebanese immigrant had his ever-present cigar stub ground between his teeth while he said "Da people have to eat. If I don't open the store, they will take what they need".
Sure enough, he headed to his store which was, I believe, near Theodore and Hastings. He may have had a pistol with him.
Throughout the rioting, he opened every day for long hours. When the neighbors near the store first saw him, they cheered. And they kept him safe. My Grandmother may have joined him down there. Not one rock went into a window, not one item was stolen. The lines were long but Mr. Jim showed up everyday and sold every bit of inventory he had. Even when the shelves were empty and he couldn't arrange deliveries, he and his store were kept safe by the people he was determined to feed.
That was the Spirit of Detroit that I learned throughout the riots.
Eva Amine
While driving, a State Trooper pulled our car over and told my friend's father that he was needed back at the Precinct. He was a Lieutenant with the Detroit Police Force.
We may have had an escort all the way back to our East Side homes near City Airport, but I'm not sure I remember correctly and don't want to lie.
I was hustled into my grandparent's house and met with loud voices and tears .... the adults were 'talking' to my Grandfather. The Lebanese immigrant had his ever-present cigar stub ground between his teeth while he said "Da people have to eat. If I don't open the store, they will take what they need".
Sure enough, he headed to his store which was, I believe, near Theodore and Hastings. He may have had a pistol with him.
Throughout the rioting, he opened every day for long hours. When the neighbors near the store first saw him, they cheered. And they kept him safe. My Grandmother may have joined him down there. Not one rock went into a window, not one item was stolen. The lines were long but Mr. Jim showed up everyday and sold every bit of inventory he had. Even when the shelves were empty and he couldn't arrange deliveries, he and his store were kept safe by the people he was determined to feed.
That was the Spirit of Detroit that I learned throughout the riots.
Eva Amine
Original Format
Email
Submitter's Name
Eva Amine
Submission Date
06/21/2016
Files
Collection
Citation
“Eva Amine,” Detroit Historical Society Oral History Archive, accessed January 22, 2025, http://oralhistory.detroithistorical.org/items/show/284.