Keith D. Williams

Across Detroit, you’ll see the echoes of what once was: abandoned storefronts that used to anchor communities, schools that sparked futures, and churches that held the soul of the block. The pain is visible—but so is the power. The truth is simple: no one is coming to save us. And that’s not a reason to despair—it’s a reason to act. Black Bottom wasn’t built with grants. Motown didn’t wait for permission. Our legacy is one of creation, not expectation.

There’s a growing split in the reparations movement. Some want more studies and reports. I want ownership, wealth, and a future we control.

We marched. We bled. We won. We integrated the schools, the lunch counters, the buses. We made America live up to its promise—at least on paper. But nearly 60 years after the Civil Rights Act, too many Black people in Detroit—and cities like it—are still trapped in poverty, priced out of opportunity, and locked out of ownership. It’s time to say it plainly: Civil rights got us access. But only silver rights will secure our future. Silver rights are about more than equality—they’re about equit