1967 Newark riots facts for kids

The 1967 Newark riots were a time of serious trouble and conflict in the streets of Newark, New Jersey, United States. This event lasted for five days, from July 12 to July 17, 1967. During this time, 26 people died, and hundreds more were hurt.

Many buildings were damaged or destroyed by broken windows and fires. At the peak of the conflict, the National Guard (soldiers) were called in. They brought tanks and other military vehicles into the city. Pictures of this were very shocking to people across the country.

After the events, many middle-class and white working-class residents quickly left Newark. This led to the city becoming poorer and having more problems for many years. Crime rates also went up.

The Newark riots showed how much tension there was between Newark's growing African-American population and the city's older leaders. These leaders were mostly white people from different European backgrounds. There was also a lot of corruption in the local government and widespread unfair treatment based on race. This meant that the city's black population was not included enough in political power.

The Newark riots were also part of a bigger trend. They were one of more than 150 similar events that happened in the United States during the "Long Hot Summer of 1967". Some historians call this event the 1967 Newark Rebellion because they see it as a form of protest.

Why did the Newark riots happen?

In the years before 1967, Newark saw big changes. Many factories closed down, and people moved from the city to the suburbs. This was a major example of "white flight," where many white families moved away from the city.

After World War II, a law called the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 helped white soldiers buy homes in the suburbs. These new homes had better access to highways and colleges. As white families moved out, many black people moved into Newark's Central Ward. However, black residents often faced unfair treatment in jobs and housing. This made it harder for them to escape poverty.

By 1967, Newark was one of the first major U.S. cities where most residents were black. But white politicians still held most of the power.

Many African-American residents felt they had no power and were treated unfairly. They felt left out of important political decisions. They also often faced police brutality, which means police used too much force.

Newark's police department tried to create a Community Relations Bureau in 1966. But the police director, Dominick Spina, did not approve the money for it. This made tensions worse, especially in the Central Ward. Residents felt that police were not held responsible for their actions against black people.

Unemployment and poverty were very high because many factories had left the city by 1967. Another problem was when the state decided to tear down old apartment buildings in the Central Ward. This was to build the new University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Thousands of low-income African-American residents lost their homes. At the same time, housing in Newark was old and expensive.

Many African Americans, especially younger leaders, felt they were still left out of power in Newark. This was true even though most people in the city were now black. Mayor Hugh Joseph Addonizio, who was the last white mayor of the city, did not do much to include African Americans in leadership roles or give them better job chances.

Even though Newark was one of the first cities to hire black police officers, most officers were still white. Only 145 out of 1,322 police officers were black (11%). This was very different from the city's population, which was over 50% black. Black leaders were upset that white officers often stopped and questioned young black people without a good reason.

How did the Newark riots start?

The trouble in Newark happened two years after similar events in Los Angeles. At this time, tensions between different racial groups were very high across the country. Many historians believe that a struggling economy, high unemployment, and a city run by white politicians but with a black majority population all added to these tensions.

The spark that set off the events happened on the evening of July 12, 1967. Two white Newark police officers, John DeSimone and Vito Pontrelli, arrested a black taxi driver named John William Smith. Smith was driving past a double-parked police car when he was stopped. He was arrested and beaten by the officers. He was then taken to the 4th Police Precinct. There, he was charged with attacking the officers and saying insulting things.

Smith was driving with a license that had been taken away. He was also involved in several car accidents that week. He was driving a taxi to earn money for dental work.

People living in Hayes Homes, a large public housing project, saw Smith being pulled into the police station. He looked hurt and unable to move. A rumor quickly started that he had been beaten to death by the police.

The rumor spread fast, and a large crowd gathered outside the police station. Some say the crowd threw rocks at the station windows first. Then police came out wearing helmets and carrying clubs. Others say the police came out first to face the crowd, and then people started throwing bricks, bottles, and rocks.

Someone who saw Smith's arrest contacted civil rights groups. They were allowed to see Smith in his holding cell. After seeing his injuries, they demanded he be moved to Beth Israel Hospital. Their request was granted.

According to one officer, at least five police officers were hit by stones. Some residents went to City Hall to protest loudly. After midnight, false alarms caused fire trucks to race around a six-block area. People broke into stores and took things. Police said liquor stores were the main target. As the rumors about Smith were proven false, things calmed down.

Mayor Addonizio did not seem worried about more trouble. On July 13, he met with leaders from civil rights groups. They made three demands:

• Suspend the two officers who arrested Smith.
• Investigate what happened on July 12.
• Promote Lieutenant Eddie Williams, the highest-ranking black officer, to captain.

Addonizio said he needed 48 hours to think about these demands. But when he went to the Central Ward, he realized he needed to act much faster. Around the time the meeting ended, students handed out flyers. They announced a rally at the 4th Precinct for 7:30 p.m.

The events of the Newark riots

July 13: The start of the unrest

Governor Hughes and Mayor Addonizio sent James Threatt to watch the rally. Police Director Spina made sure 500 officers were ready for possible trouble. The rally began as planned. By 6:30 p.m., about 10 people were protesting outside the 4th Precinct. By 7:30 p.m., angry black residents marched in front of Hayes Homes, which was across the street from the police station. No police officers were outside the building at first.

Threatt announced to the crowd that Lieutenant Eddie Williams, an African-American officer, would be promoted to captain. He hoped this would calm them. But he did not mention that Mayor Addonizio was also promoting four white lieutenants. Violence started just minutes after his announcement.

During the rally, an unknown woman broke the windows of the 4th Precinct with a metal bar. People began taking things from stores soon after, and this spread quickly along Springfield Avenue, a business area. People threw firebombs into shops, and whole buildings caught fire. A car was burned, and a police officer was hurt by a flying brick. In response, some police officers were given shotguns.

July 14: More conflict and first police death

By midnight, the taking of goods from stores spread to other areas. All police officers were called to duty. At 1:00 a.m., police were told to "fire if necessary." Mayor Addonizio called Governor Hughes at 2:20 a.m., asking for the New Jersey State Police. His request was approved, and 300 state troopers were sent.

At 2:30 a.m., he called the Governor again, asking for the New Jersey Army National Guard. They were also sent, with 3,464 soldiers coming into the city.

Detective Frederick Toto was shot while on patrol in Newark at 7:30 p.m. on July 14. He was with another officer when a sniper shot at them from a tall building, hitting Detective Toto. He was taken to the hospital, but doctors could not save him. Toto was the first police officer to die during the events. After he was shot, over 200 National Guard soldiers, along with state and city police, fired at the building where they thought the sniper was. They arrested 25 people.

Rufus Council was shot and killed a short time after Toto. Isaac Harrison and Robert Lee Martin were also killed near where Toto was shot. Toto's death brought national attention to the events in Newark.

July 15–17: The final days

Early on the evening of July 15, a woman named Rebecca Brown was killed. She was hit by many bullets fired at her second-floor apartment window. This led to more anger from the community.

By the sixth day, the unrest, taking of goods, violence, and destruction had caused many deaths and injuries. A total of 16 regular people, 8 suspected people, a police officer, and a firefighter had died. Many more were injured, including 353 regular people, 214 suspected people, 67 police officers, 55 firefighters, and 38 soldiers. Also, 689 regular people and 811 suspected people were arrested. The damage to property was estimated to be over $10 million.

Media coverage

Photographer Bud Lee and Life reporter Dale Wittner were in Newark during the events. Lee took several serious photos. One showed a police officer shooting 24-year-old William Furr, who was taking beer from a damaged store. Lee also took a photo of 12-year-old Joe Bass Jr., who was bleeding on the ground. He was accidentally hit by stray pellets from the shotgun blast that killed Furr. Bass survived, and his picture was on the cover of Life magazine on July 28, 1967.

What happened next?

The events of 1967 are often seen as a big reason for Newark's decline. However, other long-term issues like racial problems, economic changes, and political forces also led to poverty in the city. By the 1960s and 1970s, as factories left Newark, many white middle-class residents also left. This left behind a poorer population. At the same time, many suburban towns in northern New Jersey grew very quickly.

The events caused about $10 million in damages. Many damaged areas were still empty and decaying in 2017.

The police department in Newark has changed over time. In 2000, Newark was 52% black, 34% Latino, and 14% white. At that time, the Newark Police Department was 37% black, 27% Hispanic, and 36% white. By 2016, the police force was 35% black, and the number of Latino officers had grown to 41%.

In popular culture

The events were shown in the 1997 novel American Pastoral by Philip Roth. This book was also made into a film in 2016, starring Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly, and Dakota Fanning.

The events are also part of the 2017 novel 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster.

Revolution '67 is a documentary film about the events. It was made by filmmakers Marylou and Jerome Bongiorno from Newark. It first aired on PBS in 2007 as part of its series POV. The film looks at why the events happened and what their results were.

An episode of The Sopranos called "Down Neck" shows a flashback where Tony Soprano's mother, Livia Soprano, watches the events on TV.

In September 2021, a movie called The Many Saints of Newark came out. It is a story that happens before The Sopranos and is partly set during the 1967 events.

See also

In Spanish: Disturbios de Newark de 1967 para niños