While the story of Detroit and the evolution of its white suburbia is well documented, few people know the 20th century story of South Oakland County. Truth Toward Reconciliation (TTR) is a transformative community-led project under the Friends of Royal Oak Township Historical Preservation component. The project involves presenting an accurate representation of historical events which led to its development. It will examine how the various covenants, laws, and other restrictive means of nine communities:  Hazel Park, Ferndale, Oak Park, Royal Oak, Madison Heights, Pleasant Ridge, Huntington Woods, Berkley, and Clawson created barriers which excluded Royal Oak Charter Township access to housing, education, and business opportunities among other sectors in those communities.  

TTR is composed of partner organizations and individuals who adhere to the principles and concepts of truth, justice, equity, and reconciliation while valuing the sanctity of humanity and human enterprise. It is a multi-racial, intergenerational effort to advance a racial equity campaign in Southern Oakland County (MI) where the history is a parallel microcosm of the destruction of U.S. Black communities, based on compiled research, collected data, and personal oral histories from individuals who had lived, worked, or attended school in the targeted project geographic area of South Oakland County (MI). 

The documentary short film is a commitment to “end the silence” about the annexation of historic Royal Oak Township’s 36 square miles resulting in the diminutive Royal Oak Charter Township.

All photo credit goes to Friends of Royal Oak Township.