Agnes Hitchcock with daughter Kirsten at her right, Call ‘out supporters at Drive-By Birthday Thank you party Nov. 20, 2020 Photo: Diane Bukowski
AGNES HITCHCOCK HAS NEVER FAILED THE PEOPLE OF DETROIT: FIGHTING BACK AGAINST ALL ODDS!
Ihekerema Goree and Agnes Hitchcock at Birthday Thank You Party Nov. 20, 2020/Agnes Call ’em Out Facebook pg.
By VOD Editor Diane Bukowski
November 21, 2020
Call ’em Out members and supporters flocked out to Agnes Hitchcock’s storied home on E. Philadelphia for a “Thank You” 75th Birthday party honoring this indefatigable Detroit hero, steward of the vanguard grassroots organization Call ’em Out. Her daughter Kirsten Hitchcock organized the party as a “THANK YOU” to everyone who fought for a “NO” Vote on Proposal N in the Nov. 4 election. VOD pays tribute to this life-time Detroit hero with a photo array covering many of the battles she and Call ’em Out members fought over the years. Recent property tax battle photos are first, then the array detours to early years beginning with Agnes throwing the “Grapes of Wrath” to protest massive school closings at the DPS board meeting in 2007.
Agnes Hitchcock on Proposal N Photo Pulse Institute; dragged out of CAYMC over $600M Property Tax swindle Feb. 28, 2020 Photo: Clarence Tabb, Detroit News
Detroit homeowner Arizona Vaughn with Agnes Hitchcock fighting tax seizure of home she bought from city in 1994 and completely re-built at her own cost; Agnes berates Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan for city’s role in tax foreclosures.
Agnes is arrested at DPS board meeting in June, 2007 for protesting the closing of 34 schools, with hundreds more to come. In these mainstream media photos, she is shown under arrest (l) after throwing the grapes of wrath (r).
Agnes Hitchcock, Call ’em Out mobilize for direct action vs water shutoffs May 31 2014
Mary Shoemake and other Call ’em Out members at Detroit Water Board building; 2014 blockade of Homrich contractors who shut water off; Agnes Hitchcock and Teresa Kelly of Michigan Citizen are arrested at Homrich blockade
Fight vs. politicians, corporate grab of city assets
Call ’em Out camped out in City of Detroit Clerk Janice Winfrey’s office in original protest v. election fraud, in race of Tom Barrow for mayor and in Schools Proposal S (Agnes with Marie Thornton)
Call ’em Out protested at City Councilwoman Kay Everett’s home and at Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s Manoogian Mansion during original round of water shut-offs.
Call ;em Out demands No Giveaways of Detroit’s assets during Mackinac Island annual conference of corporate flunkies. May 28 2009
Call ’em Out has held dozens of town hall meetings with large crowds in attendance. (left to right) Mary Shoemake gives Power Couple Award to Jan and William Malachi; the late AFSCME Local 207 President John RIehl and a DWSD worker protest Water Dept. privatization; Agnes Hitchcock receives award.
Call ’em Out’s Annual Sambo Award Dinners
Agnes and Call ;em Out have hosted annual “Sambo Awards” dinners calling out Black politicians for selling out. (l) (Award to Kwame Kilpatrick; (r) Agnes at dinner DATE
Sambo Award dinners have drawn large audiences, shown applauding at two events.
Call ’em Out passed torch to youths of New Era Detroit, after supporting their leader Scrill against police frame-up, packing courtroom and achieving victory. Marie Thornton with Scrill at Call e’m Out dinner (l)
Call ’em Out steward Agnes Hitchcock stood up to attack from DPD Chief James Craig after giving him a Sambo award; Mary Shoemake, Erma Thomas and Linda Willis marched with hundreds of others to denounce DPD murder of Aiyana Jones, 7, on May 16, 2010