Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Businessman and Detroit civic pioneer Walter Edmond Douglas Sr. was born in North Carolina. The child of educators, he was raised in the major railroad community of Hamlet. Douglas holds two degrees from North Carolina Central University including a BA in accounting (1954) and MBA (1955). Upon graduation, he briefly taught at Edward Waters Junior College in Jacksonville, Florida, before being drafted into the US Army in 1956. In 1959, Douglas was hired by the Internal Revenue Service. He moved to Detroit in 1966 following an assignment transfer. Deeply moved by the July 1967 riots in Detroit, he began volunteering around the city, and his efforts were noticed by city leaders. In 1972, he became the vice president of New Detroit Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1967 to manage the city’s racial and employment tensions. Douglas became a key advisor of Coleman Young, the city’s first African American mayor, following Young’s election in 1974. Young appointed Douglas to several positions, notably, the city’s new civilian police commission. In 1978, Douglas was named president of New Detroit, where he remained until he decided to explore the private sector. In the 1980s, Douglas served on the DSO’s Board of Directors and is a longtime supporter of Classical Roots.
In 1985, Douglas entered a minority training program hosted by Ford Motor Company, which aimed to provide more African Americans with the opportunity to own car dealerships. In 1986, Douglas purchased a share in Avis Ford in suburban Detroit, a historic dealership owned by the founder of the Avis Airlines Rent-A-Car System. Douglas became majority owner in 1992 and since then has earned a host of awards for the success of his dealership and his continued work within the Detroit community as a philanthropist. In 2006, he turned over the business operation to his son, Mark. Douglas lives in suburban Detroit with his wife of more than 40 years, Retha.
In 1978, under conductor Paul Freeman, the Brazeal Dennard Chorale and vocalists from Detroit's Black churches joined the DSO on stage for the inaugural Classical Roots concert at Detroit's historic Bethel A.M.E. Church. Immediately popular, the concert quickly became a beloved annual tradition, moving to Orchestra Hall in 1981.
The Classical Roots mission seeks to increase awareness of the significant contributions African American composers and musicians have made to classical music; this mission extends far beyond the concert program, with composer residencies, commissions, recordings, and a fellowship program, and beyond Orchestra Hall, with school visits, chamber recitals, and community events.
Learn more about the legacy, impact, and vision of Classical Roots at dso.org/about-the-dso/classical-roots
🎵 Discover Classical Music with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra 🎵
Welcome to the official YouTube channel of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Whether you’re a classical music fan looking for world premieres and symphonic masterpieces or are searching for an inspiring background soundtrack for relaxing, studying, working, or sleeping, the DSO has you covered. Located in Midtown Detroit, historic Orchestra Hall has been the eminent music venue of Southeast Michigan for over a century, hosting top artists, living composers, and diverse orchestral voices from around the world. Get tickets to join us in person or catch the riveting live stream for free at dso.org.
Stay in tune with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
- Visit our Website and explore events: dso.org
- Follow us on Instagram: @detroitsymphony
- Connect on Facebook: @detroitsymphony
- Join us on Tik Tok: @detroitsymphony
🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications to be the first to experience our new releases.
#DSO #DetroitSymphonyOrchestra #IAMDSO #ClassicalMusic
Thank you for being a part of our musical journey. Like, comment, and share the magic!
Businessman and Detroit civic pioneer Walter Edmond Douglas Sr. was born in North Carolina. The child of educators, he was raised in the major railroad community of Hamlet. Douglas holds two degrees from North Carolina Central University including a BA in accounting (1954) and MBA (1955). Upon graduation, he briefly taught at Edward Waters Junior College in Jacksonville, Florida, before being drafted into the US Army in 1956. In 1959, Douglas was hired by the Internal Revenue Service. He moved to Detroit in 1966 following an assignment transfer. Deeply moved by the July 1967 riots in Detroit, he began volunteering around the city, and his efforts were noticed by city leaders. In 1972, he became the vice president of New Detroit Inc., a nonprofit founded in 1967 to manage the city’s racial and employment tensions. Douglas became a key advisor of Coleman Young, the city’s first African American mayor, following Young’s election in 1974. Young appointed Douglas to several positions, notably, the city’s new civilian police commission. In 1978, Douglas was named president of New Detroit, where he remained until he decided to explore the private sector. In the 1980s, Douglas served on the DSO’s Board of Directors and is a longtime supporter of Classical Roots.
In 1985, Douglas entered a minority training program hosted by Ford Motor Company, which aimed to provide more African Americans with the opportunity to own car dealerships. In 1986, Douglas purchased a share in Avis Ford in suburban Detroit, a historic dealership owned by the founder of the Avis Airlines Rent-A-Car System. Douglas became majority owner in 1992 and since then has earned a host of awards for the success of his dealership and his continued work within the Detroit community as a philanthropist. In 2006, he turned over the business operation to his son, Mark. Douglas lives in suburban Detroit with his wife of more than 40 years, Retha.
In 1978, under conductor Paul Freeman, the Brazeal Dennard Chorale and vocalists from Detroit's Black churches joined the DSO on stage for the inaugural Classical Roots concert at Detroit's historic Bethel A.M.E. Church. Immediately popular, the concert quickly became a beloved annual tradition, moving to Orchestra Hall in 1981.
The Classical Roots mission seeks to increase awareness of the significant contributions African American composers and musicians have made to classical music; this mission extends far beyond the concert program, with composer residencies, commissions, recordings, and a fellowship program, and beyond Orchestra Hall, with school visits, chamber recitals, and community events.
Learn more about the legacy, impact, and vision of Classical Roots at dso.org/about-the-dso/classical-roots
🎵 Discover Classical Music with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra 🎵
Welcome to the official YouTube channel of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Whether you’re a classical music fan looking for world premieres and symphonic masterpieces or are searching for an inspiring background soundtrack for relaxing, studying, working, or sleeping, the DSO has you covered. Located in Midtown Detroit, historic Orchestra Hall has been the eminent music venue of Southeast Michigan for over a century, hosting top artists, living composers, and diverse orchestral voices from around the world. Get tickets to join us in person or catch the riveting live stream for free at dso.org.
Stay in tune with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
- Visit our Website and explore events: dso.org
- Follow us on Instagram: @detroitsymphony
- Connect on Facebook: @detroitsymphony
- Join us on Tik Tok: @detroitsymphony
🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications to be the first to experience our new releases.
#DSO #DetroitSymphonyOrchestra #IAMDSO #ClassicalMusic
Thank you for being a part of our musical journey. Like, comment, and share the magic!
