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Community Organizing
across the Decades
The tradition of community organizing in Flint is long, storied,
and rich. In 1936 and 1937, striking laborers at Flint’s GM
plant won a major victory for workers’ rights. For 2 months,
workers sat in one of the buildings and refused to leave. This
strike empowered the United Auto Workers (UAW) union.
The strike led to a 5 percent raise for workers and the right
to collectively bargain with employers. Union membership
in the United States ballooned as a result of the win.
Later, during the civil rights movement, Flint activists paved
the way for equal housing rights. A “sleep-in” in August 1967
drew hundreds who demanded an end to racial discrimination
in housing. Activist efforts continued. The next spring, voters in
the city approved an open housing referendum. This opened
up neighborhoods and housing to Black families. It was the
first place in the country to make housing segregation illegal.
This civic tradition continued into the 21st century. When
control of the city was turned over to an emergency manager,
the Flint Democracy Defense League formed. And when the water
crisis surfaced, these activists stood up and helped when the
government failed, distributing bottled water to residents in need.
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[ FLINT WA TER CRISIS ]