I Spy: The Fifth Estate Under Surveillance

Doors at 6:30, Program begins at 7 p.m.

On Thursday, September 1, the Detroit Historical Museum concludes its yearlong exhibition commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the Fifth Estate, “Start the Presses: 50 years of the Fifth Estate” in a special evening program entitled, “I Spy: the Fifth Estate under Surveillance.”

Fifth Estate founder Harvey Ovshinsky and current staffer Peter Werbe will read from and tell stories inspired by their own and the paper’s infamous Red Squad files, the hundreds of pages of surveillance and intelligence reports about the paper’s alleged subversive activities. For the first time, Peter and Harvey will reveal the identity of a key Fifth Estate staffer who was a police informant. The public is invited to bring and read excerpts from their own files.

The program will be moderated by Tim Kiska, Detroit Media critic and Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and co-curator of “Start the Presses: 50 years of the Fifth Estate.” Rana Elmir, the deputy director of the ACLU of Michigan will also speak, discussing her organization’s efforts to protect local groups from police and FBI surveillance. Rana lectures often on anti-Muslim bias, free speech and the intersection of race, faith, gender and sexual orientation.

Admission and parking are free for this event!