Mike Ilitch Paid Rent for Rosa Parks in the ’90s
Did you know?
Rosa Parks, the "first lady of civil rights," moved to Detroit in 1957. In 1994, at the age of 81, she was robbed and assaulted at her apartment. A local judge called Alfred Taubman, owner of Riverfront Apartments, about finding her a safer place to live. When Mike Ilitch read about this, he said that he would pay her rent for as long as necessary.
There's a picture of the judge holding a rent check from Ilitch to Rosa Parks HERE.
Nobody knows how long he paid her rent, but in 2004, the owner of Riverfront Apartments agreed to allow her to live there rent-free. Parks passed in 2005.
Isn't it nice to see somebody with money, influence and power to use it...for good? Rest in Peace, Mike. We're sad he didn't get to see the opening of the Little Caesars Arena.