Great story about Mike Illitch helping out Rosa Parks

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

Ilitch aids civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, others

By Christopher Botta, Staff Writer

Published February 24, 2014,

In his chambers in Detroit, Judge Damon Keith holds a copy of a check in his hand and has a story to tell. It’s about the time Mike Ilitch came to the aid of Rosa Parks, whose legendary defiance of segregation in 1955 led to the black civil rights movement.

“It’s for $2,000, dated November the first, 1994. It’s from Little Caesars Enterprises to Riverfront Apartments, and I know it was just one of many,” said Keith, 91, who has been a U.S. Court of Appeals judge in Detroit for the last 46 years. “It’s important that people know what Mr. Mike Ilitch did for Ms. Rosa Parks because it’s symbolic of what he has always done for the people of our city.”

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2014/02/24/Champions/Ilitch-Rosa-Parks.aspx

[toby91_ca 620]

The article suggests Ilitch would pay for housing as long as necessary, but what happend to cause this?

"In 2002 Parks received an eviction notice from her $1800 per month apartment due to non-payment of rent. Parks was incapable of managing her own financial affairs by this time due to age-related physical and mental decline. Her rent was paid from a collection taken by Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in Detroit. When her rent became delinquent and her impending eviction was highly publicized in 2004, executives of the ownership company announced they had forgiven the back rent and would allow Parks, by then 91 and in extremely poor health, to live rent free in the building for the remainder of her life.^[43] Her heirs and various interest organizations alleged at the time that her financial affairs had been mismanaged."

[rrasco 1,312]

And these are the reason Illitch will never be forgotten. I don't even live in MI, but I appreciate the things he has done for the city.

Edited February 24, 2014 by rrasco

[The Secret 304]

God bless the Illitch family!