1964 Rochester race riot facts for kids

The Rochester 1964 race riot was a major disturbance that happened in 1964 in Rochester, New York, in the United States. This event took place as the number of African American people in Rochester was growing quickly. Many faced unfair treatment in jobs, housing, and from the police.

The unrest started on July 24, 1964. It began when the Rochester Police Department tried to arrest someone at a block party. The disturbance lasted until July 26. Five people died, and four of them were in a helicopter crash. More than 300 people were hurt, and over 900 people were arrested. After the event, downtown Rochester saw new projects to improve the city. Local groups also worked to change hiring rules in the city.

Why the Rochester Unrest Happened

The number of African American people living in Rochester grew a lot in the 1950s and 1960s. It went from about 7,800 in 1950 to over 32,000 by 1964. Many came from the South, hoping for better lives.

However, Black migrants often found separated schools and poor housing. The unemployment rate for Black residents was much higher than for white residents. Black people also faced constant rude comments and unfair treatment. They were often called "bean pickers," a term for Black migrant workers. They were also denied housing in many parts of the city. Many were forced to live in the run-down Upper Falls neighborhood. The Rochester unrest happened during a time of high racial tension across the United States. It occurred just one week after a big disturbance in Harlem.

How the Disturbance Started

At 10:00 p.m. on July 24, 1964, police tried to arrest a Black man. This happened at a street block party and dance on Joseph Avenue. This area was in the Upper Falls neighborhood of Rochester. Police found 20-year-old Randy Manigault to be difficult and disorderly. When they tried to arrest him, he resisted.

People watching felt the police were too forceful. They started throwing bottles and bricks at the officers. Police called for backup. A K-9 unit (police dogs) responded because there were not enough other officers. It was against police rules to use police dogs on crowds. However, two police dogs were used to control the crowd. The use of police dogs seemed to help start the disturbance. It reminded people of police dogs used against peaceful civil rights protesters in Birmingham, Alabama.

By 11:30 p.m., all available officers were dealing with about 400 people. At 2:00 a.m., Rochester police chief William Lombard ordered officers to use riot control tools. By 3:30 a.m., the crowd had grown to 2,000 people. People began taking items from stores on Clinton Avenue. This was the main street in Upper Falls. Governor Rockefeller declared a state of emergency by 9:00 a.m. The event was officially called a "riot" at that time. The chaos calmed down during the day on July 25, 1964. But the unrest started again strongly that night.

On July 25, six Black community leaders met with Mayor Lamb. They gave him a list of requests to end the violence. These included a committee of Black community members to watch over the police. They also asked for more help for Black businesses and workers. Mayor Lamb did not agree to all their requests. Meanwhile, the unrest spread to other parts of the city that evening. One man was killed when he was hit by a car.

The last three deaths happened on July 26. A helicopter used to watch the disturbance flew too close to a house. It hit the roof on Clarissa Street. The crash killed the helicopter pilot and two people in the house right away. Col. Robert Abbott, a civil defense director, later died from his injuries. He was the fourth victim. Later that day, violence broke out again in Upper Falls. Demonstrators threw homemade fire bombs at police. Police responded by shooting.

What Happened After the Unrest

Peace returned after three days. Governor Nelson Rockefeller called in the New York National Guard. Between 800 and 1,000 National Guard members were sent to the city. By the time the disturbance ended, five people had died. Four of these deaths were from the helicopter crash. About 350 people were hurt. 976 people were arrested. Also, 204 stores were either broken into or damaged.

A police officer, Dominick D'Angelo, got a cut under his eye but stayed on duty. ABC News reporter Dick Baumbach was shot in the face, but it only grazed his skin.

At first, people blamed "outside agitators" for the unrest. But almost all the people arrested were from the local area. Only 14 people arrested lived outside Monroe County. Constance Mitchell, a local leader, said, "I know the kids here. And it was the good kids in my ward who first threw the bricks. Then the adults joined in. This community just went insane." This made people look again at the rules and ways of doing things. These had not changed even though the Black population had grown a lot in 10 years.

At that time, most Black people had low-paying jobs and lived in poor housing. Rochester's public housing authority had only started in 1955. Its first projects were already full by 1964. For ten years after the disturbance, the City of Rochester bought the damaged land. They tore down buildings and changed many streets. Several public housing projects were planned and built in the 1960s and 1970s.

Several social service groups were created because of the unrest. These included Action for a Better Community and the Urban League of Rochester. In 1965, local activists formed an organization called FIGHT. This group worked to stop unfair hiring practices. They got help from Saul Alinsky. The group was led by Franklin Florence. In 1967, they reached an agreement with Eastman Kodak to hire more African American employees.

See also

• List of incidents of civil unrest in the United States
• List of ethnic riots