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2 4 1 A P P E N D I X E “Buy Detroit” Campaign Remarks by Arthur L. Johnson at NAACP press conference on December 12, 1989. On December 12, 1989, we launched another phase of the Detroit branch NAACP “Project Freedom,” which was announced a little more than a year ago. It is a “Buy Detroit” campaign. The aim of Buy Detroit is to strengthen business-commercial activity in Detroit in all areas, to invigorate further the economic life of Detroit, and in so doing, to expand viable job and business opportunities for African Americans and others in our city. In constructing this campaign, we have been moved by a number of considerations. First is the fact that the city of Detroit has been “malled” almost to death, creating heavy economic burdens for the city and its residents. In many ways, Detroit has been abandoned, primarily, we believe, because of its majority black population. Racial isolation and polarization have come to mark the face of this region more than any other urban center in the nation. The impairment of this central city’s health has weakened the health of the entire southeastern region, and this process of social and economic deterioration will continue until we have come to our senses as one community. For our part in the NAACP, we cannot accept such conditions as being in any way desirable, necessary, or inevitable. Furthermore, we not only believe that we can make a major difference, but that we must. Thus, in addition to other program measures we have undertaken in Project Freedom, involving the practices of Detroit banks, the issues of discriminatory automobile insurance premiums, black business development , and fair share campaigns, we are now putting into action the Buy Detroit campaign. This is not a campaign against the suburbs, where blacks and whites engage in commercial trade and a number of black business ventures 2 4 2 | A P P E N D I X E are thriving. Such a misguided effort would defeat our purpose. Buy Detroit is simply “pro” Detroit on the basic premise that the economic good health and well-being of this central city are essential to the health and well-being of the larger region. Indeed, the suburbs can ignore this principle only to their own peril. Therefore, we are, and shall be, appealing both to Detroit and suburban residents to shop and dine, and to do business in Detroit as much as possible. We are especially urging suburban residents who now feel far removed from Detroit to enter with us into the spirit as well as the work of rebuilding a great city where all citizens can lay claim equally to its life and enjoy the fruits of their labors. For much of the past two years, we have had a strong committee of NAACP volunteers led by the distinguished founder of the Detroit Association of Black Organizations, and a board member of the Detroit branch, Horace Sheffield Jr., doing the necessary research and planning of this project. The committee, our cause, and our city deserve the best support we can bring to this endeavor, and I thank you for your participation. ...

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