1970 Augusta riot facts for kids

The Augusta Riot was a major protest by Black citizens in Augusta, Georgia. It was the biggest city uprising in the Southern United States during the Civil Rights Movement. People were very unhappy about unfair treatment because of race. The protest started when white leaders refused to explain how a Black teenager, Charles Oatman, died after being hurt while in jail.

At its peak on May 11, 1970, about two to three thousand people took part. They damaged and set fire to businesses owned by white and Chinese-American people. Over a 130-block area, property damage reached $1 million. White police officers stopped the protest with force. Georgia Governor Lester Maddox supported their actions. Police were even given orders to shoot. The National Guard and State Patrol also came to help. Even though the protest was stopped, it greatly changed things in Augusta. It led to new efforts for fairness and opened up more chances for Black citizens in business and politics.

Why the Augusta Riot Happened

Unfair police actions and serious poverty were common problems for Black people in Augusta. These issues seemed to be getting worse as the 1970s began. Different Black groups in Augusta had different ideas for how to bring change.

• The NAACP and SCLC wanted to build on the progress of the Civil Rights Movement.
• The Black Panther Party and students from Paine College believed in a stronger, more direct approach called Black Power.
• The Committee of Ten tried a middle way. They were direct but focused on talking with white officials.

Tensions grew very high on the evening of May 9. News spread that Charles Oatman had died in the county jail. Charles was a 16-year-old student at A.R. Johnson Junior High School. He was also mentally challenged. A sad accident happened in March when Charles accidentally hurt his young niece, who later died. White authorities charged him with her death and put him in jail. Over several weeks in jail, he was badly hurt, and he later died from his injuries.

After the Riot: Changes and Challenges

In the months that followed, all-white juries found two teenagers guilty in Charles Oatman's death. More than 100 people involved in the riot were also found guilty. The police captain was even promoted to chief. The mayor praised the police department. News and political leaders said the riot was just angry people destroying their own neighborhood for no reason.

The FBI looked into the police actions. Two officers went to trial, but they were found not guilty by mostly white juries. Charles Oatman’s mother tried to sue, but her case was stopped because of a technicality. No white official was ever held responsible for any wrongdoing.

New Activism and Progress

Despite these unfair outcomes, the riot sparked a new wave of activism. The fear it created gave activists more power to demand changes. Black voters started to gain more influence in local politics. A big lawsuit to end school segregation gained new energy. Black leaders of a new Human Relations Commission helped win many cases against unfair treatment. This opened new job opportunities for Black people.

Activists remembered the six people who died in Augusta. They also showed support for the four students killed at Kent State University a week earlier. They remembered the two students killed at Jackson State University three days later. Key people from the riot continued to work for racial justice in Augusta and other places. They wanted to make sure the true story of the riot was remembered. A handbill circulating that summer said, "The rebellion Monday, May 11, was an effort of the Blacks in Augusta... to seek liberation, freedom, and justice…The PEOPLE REVOLTED."

Ongoing Struggles

Even with these changes, unfair racial practices continued. Many white families moved to nearby Columbia County. This made school desegregation harder. The Human Relations Commission became weaker and eventually lost its funding. Businesses left the main Black neighborhood, and it became poorer.

Poverty continued as the economy changed from factory jobs to lower-paying service jobs. Today, about 30% of Black families in Augusta live below the poverty line. The idea that Black people are criminals, which was pushed in 1970, still exists. This supports a system of mass incarceration, which some call "the new Jim Crow" (a system of laws that enforced racial segregation).

The white-led story of the riot became the main memory in the community. This story often forgot the reasons for Black people's anger, their organized efforts, and the gains they made after the protest of May 11-12.

A local group, the 1970 Augusta Riot Observance Committee, is working to find and share the real story of this event. The information above is part of their effort. For more details, you can visit www.1970augustariot.com.