1966 Dayton race riot facts for kids

The 1966 Dayton race riot (also known as the Dayton uprising) was a time of great trouble and unrest in Dayton, Ohio, United States. It happened on September 1, 1966, and lasted for about 24 hours. The unrest ended after the Ohio National Guard was called in to help. This event was the biggest of its kind in Dayton's history. It was one of many similar events that happened across the United States during the 1960s.

For many years, Dayton had serious problems between its white and African American populations. African Americans faced unfair treatment in the city. By the mid-1960s, Dayton was one of the most separated cities in the U.S. Most African Americans lived in the poorer west side of the city. The Dayton Daily News newspaper called this area a "ghetto" with bad schools and unfair city services.

On September 1, 1966, Lester Mitchell, an African American man, was killed. People who saw what happened said a white person was responsible. After this, large-scale unrest began by 10 a.m. It mostly affected west Dayton before moving into the city's downtown area. The mayor of Dayton quickly asked the governor of Ohio to send the National Guard. A rule was also made that people had to be home by a certain time. Police tried to block off west Dayton. The National Guard arrived around 3 p.m., but by then, much of the unrest had already stopped.

After the event, one person had died, 30 were hurt, and over 100 people were arrested. The unrest caused about $250,000 in damage to buildings and businesses. Most of this damage was to African American-owned businesses in west Dayton. After this time of trouble, the west side of Dayton faced economic problems. Many businesses either moved or closed down for good. The city's racial issues continued in the following years. More unrest happened in 1967 and 1968. Even today, Dayton remains one of the most separated cities in the United States.

Why Did the Riot Happen?

The 1960s was a time when many large cities in the United States saw big events of civil unrest. These events often started because of deep-seated social problems. These problems affected African American communities in big cities. Often, a small disagreement between African Americans and the police would trigger these larger events.

In Dayton, Ohio, tensions between different racial groups grew throughout the mid-1900s. Many African Americans were kept separate from the white population. In 1966, about 60,000 African Americans lived in west Dayton. This was about 96 percent of Dayton's African American population. They lived there because of rules that kept housing separate. West Dayton was a poor part of the city. The Dayton Daily News called it a "ghetto" with neglected schools and unfair city services.

In 1966, African American community leaders pointed out four main problems in west Dayton. These included poorer schools compared to white schools and a lack of jobs. They also mentioned difficulty getting home loans due to unfair treatment. Finally, they felt city leaders did not care enough about the people living there. Some progress had been made, like the election of Dayton's first African American school board member in 1952. Also, the first African American city commissioner was elected in 1961. However, some people in west Dayton felt that changes were happening too slowly. In 1963, some white residents in a suburb called Madison Township reacted strongly when a Black family moved into their neighborhood.

Around 3 a.m. on September 1, 1966, Lester Mitchell, a 39-year-old African American man, was shot. He was sweeping the sidewalk in front of his bar on West Fifth Street. This street was a busy area in west Dayton. Mitchell was taken to a hospital, but he died from his injuries. People who saw what happened gave different accounts. One person said it was a white man in a red car who shot from the moving car. They were not sure if it was one man or a group of men.

How the Unrest Unfolded

By 10 a.m., the killing of Lester Mitchell had started one of Dayton's earliest major civil unrest events. People were taking things from stores and causing trouble mostly in west Dayton. Mitchell's death was the main reason for the unrest. But other problems also played a part. These included high unemployment, poor housing, and a lack of communication with city leaders. The unrest also grew because police said a shooting from a moving car would have been impossible.

During this time, people involved in the unrest threw objects like bottles and rocks at cars driven by white Americans. One white truck driver had his jaw broken when something came through his windshield. Over 100 people were involved in the unrest. About 225 police officers set up a blockade around west Dayton. However, they were told not to directly fight with the people causing trouble. Soon, the unrest spread into downtown Dayton, causing more damage there.

Some African American men tried to calm things down. They tried to talk with Dayton's city manager and police chief. They asked for some arrested people to be released. They also asked for two white police officers to be moved from their patrol area in west Dayton. City officials agreed to these changes. But it did not stop the unrest much. C. J. McLin, who later became a state representative, was one of the people who talked with city officials.

By 10:30 a.m., Dayton Mayor Dave Hall arrived where the unrest was happening. Police there had gotten shotguns from nearby pawn shops. Mayor Hall spoke to the crowd using a police car's loudspeaker. He told them he had asked the governor of Ohio to send the Ohio National Guard. The governor, Jim Rhodes, was at the Ohio State Fair when he got the request. He approved it and sent 1,000 soldiers.

Around 12:40 a.m., Mayor Hall ordered that bars and restaurants in west Dayton close. Stores selling alcohol also closed. A rule was made that everyone under 15 had to be home by a certain time. Some city services were stopped for a while, and trains were sent on different routes. By 3 p.m., the National Guard arrived in Dayton. They were led by Adjutant General Erwin Hostetler. The soldiers came from nearby towns like Blanchester and Xenia. However, by the time they got there, much of the unrest had already ended. Guardsmen drove through the city in Jeeps. Hostetler toured the city in a police car and saw no violence, only signs of damage. The unrest lasted for about 24 hours in total.

What Happened After the Riot?

Right after the unrest, 30 people were hurt, and one person died. The exact number of arrests is not clear, but over 100 people were arrested. The cost for public safety during the unrest was about $20,000. The damage to buildings and businesses was about $250,000. Most of this damage was to businesses owned by African Americans.

The unrest in Dayton got national attention. This was because U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson was supposed to speak in Dayton the next weekend. The Dayton Daily News later called it "one of the city's worst race riots." In the years that followed, Dayton had more events of civil unrest. This included two in 1967 and one in 1968. The 1966 event was the largest of these. Across the country in 1966, many cities had similar events. About 44 major American cities saw civil unrest. Seven people died, and about 400 were hurt. Dayton was one of only five cities where the National Guard had to be called. No one was ever found guilty of Lester Mitchell's killing.

After the unrest, many businesses in west Dayton either moved away or never reopened. West Dayton continued to face economic problems for many years. Separation between racial groups remained a big issue in Dayton. In 2002, the city's school district was the last in Ohio to be released from a federal order to end separation. However, many schools are still very separated. In 2016, Dayton was the 14th most separated large city area in the United States.

Also, many white residents moved out of the city after the unrest. This led to a drop in the overall population. It also meant that the percentage of African Americans in the population increased. Politician Rhine McLin said that west Dayton was "punished" by city officials because of the unrest. She felt that west Dayton is worse off today than it was 50 years ago. Jessie Gooding Jr., a former leader of the NAACP, agreed that west Dayton was economically stronger before the unrest. He thought the highway system also played a part in the decline. He said that after the unrest, the promised economic growth for west Dayton did not happen. Small African American businesses were hurt. However, by 2016, the area had started to see some new businesses and developments.

In 2016, the Dayton Daily News published a four-part story called "Lasting Scars." This story looked at why the unrest happened and its long-term effects.