DETROIT, Mich. — Joseph L. Hudson Jr., the former president and CEO of the J.L. Hudson department store chain and a well known philanthropist from Michigan, passed away on Wednesday in his home in Grosse Pointe Farms. He was 89.
Stacie Clayton, Chair of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, issued a statement Friday on behalf of the Commission.
“Joseph L. Hudson was more than a scion of an iconic business empire. He will long be remembered for his tireless service to the city of Detroit, a community he loved,” Clayton said. “In 1967, in the aftermath of a summer of unprecedented civil uprising, Governor Romney tapped Hudson to lead the New Detroit Committee, a coalition focused on driving societal change and achieving racial justice. He remained at the helm of New Detroit for almost two decades, steadfast in his commitment to creating a more equitable Detroit. His legacy lives on as New Detroit continues the fight for racial justice. On behalf of the Commission, I extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Hudson’s family.”
Although born in Buffalo, New York, Hudson spent most of his professional career in the Detroit area, where he was a major influence on the economy and culture from the 1960′s on.
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