Problem 1: What was the catalyst (I mean, the precipitating event, not the background cause) for the riot in Detroit in 1967? What specific perceived offense were the rioters angry about? Is this still a problem in the United States today?
Problem 2: Beyond the immediate cause of the riot, what background factors created the conditions that caused people in Detroit to riot? Do you think the rioters were justified in their anger? Justified enough to riot? Explain.
Problem 3: In what ways did the Detroit Tigers baseball organization mirror social conditions in the United States? In what ways did it differ? How do you explain the differences?
Problem 4: Does the racial harmony within the Detroit Tigers organization and among the people of Detroit in relation to the team offer us any suggestions on how we might accomplish racial reconciliation? Explain.
Problem 5: This video was published by a sports oriented network to tell the story of a single season of a baseball team. How do you see the relationship between the team's story and its setting in the 1960s? Do you think this film gives an accurate picture of the history of that era? Is it valuable in a history class? Explain.
Problem 6: Analyze the following quote by Dr. King delivered in the midst of the turmoil of 1968. What does he mean by "a riot is the language of the unheard?" Is he right? Could he have delivered the same speech in response to the racial unrest and protests in 2020? Why or why not?