Obama surprises Kresge Foundation guests celebrating centennial at DIA

[marmar]

(Detroit Free Press) When guests arrived at the Kresge Foundation's centennial celebration Tuesday evening at the Detroit Institute of Arts, they weren't handed a program.

Instead, the program was included in the gifts that were handed to guests on their way out at the end of the evening.

That's because the keynote speaker and special surprise guest was 44th U.S. President Barack Obama, who was involved with Detroit's Grand Bargain that saved the American auto industry and helped restore the city from bankruptcy during his time in office.

....(snip)....

He said the scope of Detroit's turnaround is astounding, but it's just the beginning.

"Mayor Duggan came in, and congratulations to him for having exactly the attitude that the city needed at that point, which was not an ideological blocking — fixing street lamps, getting abandoned, dangerous buildings pulled down, revitalizing with the limited resources to the city and parts of the city that really needed help. And I could not have been prouder of the progress that was made. I think everybody here, including your report, can acknowledge there's still more progress to be done. … You're looking at 30 to 40 years of disinvestment and racial conflict and decisions that were often made from outside the city that made it more difficult for residents in the city to access opportunity. Some of those legacies still exist today. ..................(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2024/06/12/obama-kresge-foundation-centennial-detroit-institute-arts/74067047007/

[hlthe2b]

1. Wow. Blast from the past. My late Mom used to talk about Kresge stores (I guess were like Woolworths?)

Last edited Wed Jun 12, 2024, 10:10 AM - Edit history (1)

and seeing this, I had to google to see what happened to them. They sold out to/merged with K-Mart in the 1960s... but before that, they were the original "five and dimes" dating back to 1899.

Sounds like the foundation that grew from all that is doing good things today.

[mopinko]

3. there was a kresges walking distance from my house as a kid. 1 of the 1st outdoor malls.

northgate shopping center in aurora, il.
yes, just like woolworths. we had that downtown. lunch counter w sodas and cokes in the pointy cups. make up. cheap clothes. i spent most of my time in the pet dept. bought some mean budgies and a couple lizards there.

[Siwsan]

2. I was just thinking about Kresge, the other day

There was a store in Downtown Flint. I specifically remember their lunch counter.

I miss stores like that.

[LisaM]

4. I love the DIA

In fact, for my birthday, I requested a membership.