Felicia B. George's "When Detroit Played the Numbers"

Felicia B. George is a native Detroiter who loves Detroit history and culture. She earned her doctorate in anthropology from Wayne State University, where she is now an adjunct professor.

George applied the “Page 99 Test” to her new book, When Detroit Played the Numbers: Gambling's History and Cultural Impact on the Motor City, and reported the following:

On page 99, readers catch a glimpse of a sensational trial that rocked Detroit in the early 1940s, involving numbers banker Everett Watson. In 1940s Detroit, a realty company operated entirely by blacks, led by Watson, garnered praise for extending loans to black Detroiters when other institutions refused, enabling numerous black Detroiters to purchase homes and businesses. However, Watson and his associates found themselves embroiled in a significant trial related to a numbers graft conspiracy, one of the largest gambling criminal trials in the country at the time. The prosecutor, Chester O’Hara, systematically excluded black jurors, justifying it with prejudiced views about black Detroiters and their supposed involvement in gambling. This bias was reinforced by societal stereotypes, as evidenced by a department store advertisement perpetuating the belief that blacks were superstitious gamblers. Page 99 illuminates the systemic racism and discrimination prevalent in the justice system and society at large during that period.

Does page 99 effectively provide readers with an accurate snapshot of the book? To some extent. Page 99 offers a glimpse into the broader narrative of "playing the numbers," or the illegal lottery, in Detroit. It serves to introduce readers to my writing style and offers just enough insight into the book to awaken their interest. While the page encapsulates one of the important themes of the book, it represents only a small fraction of a much larger story that traces the history of numbers gambling from 1919 to the 2000s and does not fully portray the unfolding of other crucial themes and events integral to the history of numbers gambling in Detroit.

When Detroit Played the Numbers is a gritty tale of ingenuity and determination, taking readers on a journey exploring how playing the numbers evolved from a state-condemned crime to an encouraged legal activity. It delves into issues of race, politics, and the scandals that emerged along the way. Readers will discover how the nickels and dimes wagered by Detroiters contributed to the rise of Joe Louis's career. They will witness the ousting of a Detroit mayor supported by the Ku Klux Klan and revisit the sensational trial that dominated the city's headlines for over three years, resulting in the incarceration of the city's former mayor, county prosecutor, county sheriff, several Detroit Police officers, and two of Detroit's most influential numbers operators. This is a tale teeming with the highs and lows of the city, offering just one of many narratives reflecting Detroit's hopes and dreams.

Learn more about When Detroit Played the Numbers at the Wayne State University Press website.

--Marshal Zeringue