1968 Louisville riots facts for kids
| Date | May 27–29, 1968 |
|---|---|
| Location | Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
| Deaths | 2 |
The Louisville riots of 1968 were a series of protests and unrest in Louisville, Kentucky. These events happened in May 1968. Like in many other cities across the country, people were very upset. This was partly because Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated on April 4.
On May 27, about 400 people gathered. Most of them were African American. They met at 28th and Greenwood Streets in the Parkland neighborhood. This area was important for Louisville's African American community. The local NAACP office had recently moved there.
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Why Did the Protests Start?
The crowd was protesting a white police officer. He had been suspended for using too much force against an African American man. People were worried he might get his job back.
Several community leaders arrived to speak to the crowd. They explained that no decision had been made yet. They also hinted that there could be more trouble if the officer was reinstated. By 8:30 PM, the crowd began to break up.
How Did Things Get Worse?
However, false rumors started spreading. People heard that a plane carrying Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee speaker Stokely Carmichael was being delayed on purpose. This made the crowd very angry.
People began throwing bottles. The crowd became unruly, and police were called. But the small police response was not ready. This only made the crowd more upset, and it continued to grow. Police officers, including a captain who was hit by a bottle, had to retreat. They left behind a patrol car, which was then overturned and burned.
By midnight, the unrest had spread. People looted stores as far east as Fourth Street. Cars were overturned, and fires were started.
What Happened Next?
Within an hour, Mayor Kenneth A. Schmied took action. He asked for 700 Kentucky National Guard troops to help. He also set a citywide curfew. This meant people had to stay indoors at night.
Violence and vandalism continued the next day. But by May 29, things had calmed down a bit. Business owners started to return to their shops. The National Guard troops stayed in Louisville until June 4. Police arrested 472 people because of the riots. Sadly, two African American teenagers died during the events. The damage caused by the unrest was estimated at $200,000.
Long-Term Effects on Louisville
The events of May 1968 had lasting effects on Louisville. Many white business owners quickly left Parkland and nearby areas. Some were forced out by the threat of racial violence. Most white residents also moved out of the West End. This area had been mostly white until the 1960s.
The riots changed how many white people saw Louisville's West End. It became known as a mainly African American part of the city.
