Hey guys. Detroit native here. My grandfather was a (white) police officer during the notorious riots here and has told me of his time spent hiding under a vehicle from sniper fire. So, I've heard plenty about the black on white riots here and elsewhere (Watts riot, etc) but cursory research tells me there were plenty of white v. black riots here and elsewhere but I can't seem to turn up much information on them - what were they? why did they happen? what happened?
Thanks in advance.
There were a number of race-based incidents of civil unrest and violence in Detroit prior to the 1960s, perhaps the most notable of which is the 1943 Detroit Race Riot. This riot began as a fight between African Americans and whites on Belle Isle and spread outwards, leaving 34 people dead and hundreds injured. FDR sent federal troops in to stop the violence. The majority of those killed and arrested during the riots were African American. Here is a good source detailing some of the origins of the riot.
Additionally, I would recommend those interested in this topic to read Kevin Boyle's excellent book Arc of Justice, which details some of the smaller-scale (though no less important) racial violence and tension in the city's neighborhoods during the 1920s and 1930s.