Ghetto riots (1964–1969) facts for kids

The ghetto riots were a series of major social unrest events that happened across the United States in the 1960s. These events are also called ghetto rebellions or race riots. They mostly involved African American communities using violent actions to protest unfair conditions.

These events often happened during the summer months in cities. The first major one was the Harlem riot of 1964 in New York City. After that, many more incidents followed. A big wave of unrest happened during the long, hot summer of 1967. The riots reached their peak after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, leading to riots in over 100 American cities. The unrest began to calm down in 1969.

History of the Riots

Why Did the Riots Happen?

Before the 1960s, African Americans mostly resisted unfair treatment in smaller ways. This included small slave rebellions and self-defense actions. These actions were usually about protecting themselves. It was not until the Harlem riots of 1935 and 1943 that African Americans started taking more active roles in violent conflicts.

By the 1950s and 1960s, big changes were happening in how white people treated Black people. However, many problems still existed. Cities saw a lot of urban decay, meaning neighborhoods became run-down. This was partly because many white families moved out of city centers, a trend called white flight. This left lower-income minority groups in struggling areas. These conditions created a lot of anger and frustration, setting the stage for open rebellions.

Major Riot Events

The Harlem riot of 1964 is often seen as the start of these widespread riots. They spread across New York City and then to other cities across the country. The riots mostly calmed down by 1968, with the King assassination riots being among the last major ones.

These urban riots were not planned in advance. They mostly targeted the property of white-owned businesses, not people. Before this time, most riots in America involved brutal attacks against minority groups. These 1960s riots resulted in over 150 deaths and more than 20,000 arrests.

Here are some of the major incidents:

• Harlem riot of 1964
• 1964 Rochester race riot
• Dixmoor race riot, August 1964
• 1964 Philadelphia race riot
• Watts riots, August 1965
• 1966 Chicago West Side riots
• Hough riots, July 1966
• Waukegan riot of 1966
• 1966 Dayton race riot
• Hunters Point social uprising (1966)
• Benton Harbor riots of 1966
• Long, hot summer of 1967
  • 1967 Atlanta riots
  • Boston riots
  • 1967 Buffalo riot
  • 1967 Cairo, Illinois riot
  • Cambridge riot of 1967
  • Cincinnati riot of 1967
  • 1967 Detroit riot
  • 1967 Milwaukee riot
  • 1967 Newark riots
  • 1967 New York City riot
  • 1967 Plainfield riots
  • 1967 Saginaw riot
  • Albina Riot of 1967
• King assassination riots, April 1968
  • 1968 Washington, D.C., riots
  • 1968 Chicago riots
  • Baltimore riot of 1968
  • 1968 Kansas City, Missouri riot
  • 1968 Detroit riot
  • 1968 New York City riot
  • 1968 Pittsburgh riots
  • Cincinnati riot of 1968
  • Trenton New Jersey riots of 1968
  • Wilmington riot of 1968
  • 1968 Louisville riots

The 1968 Miami riot was different because it started from an organized protest. Most other riots were not planned. The Division Street riots in Chicago in June 1966 were similar. They showed similar tensions, but the people involved were Puerto Rican, not African-American.

The last major riot in this pattern was likely the July 1969 York race riot in Pennsylvania. After this, federal officials believed the time of large-scale riots was over.

The Kerner Commission Report

President Lyndon B. Johnson created a special group called the Kerner Commission on July 28, 1967. This was while riots were still happening in Detroit. The commission's job was to investigate why these urban protests were happening.

The President asked them to find out what happened, why it happened, and how to stop it from happening again. The commission studied 164 incidents that occurred in the first nine months of 1967. They found clear patterns and came to important conclusions.

One of their main findings was: "The civil disorders of 1967 involved Negroes acting against local symbols of white American society, authority and property in Negro neighborhoods -- rather than against white persons."

The report said that unfair police actions, high unemployment, and poor housing were the biggest reasons for the anger that led to the riots.

How Did People React?

Soldiers guard the U.S. Capitol during the 1968 riots.

Some people, especially those with conservative views, saw the riots as a sign that the country needed stricter "law and order." Richard Nixon made this idea a key part of his campaign for president.

However, others had different ideas. The mayor of Jersey City, Thomas J. Whelan, thought the riots showed that more social programs were needed. In 1964, he asked for government money to build new recreation centers, homes, schools, and better sanitation for low-income families.

Federal money for "urban renewal" (improving cities) and "antipoverty efforts" was also discussed. In August 1968, the Justice Department offered over $4 million to states. This was the first time federal money was given to help prepare for and prevent riots in cities.

Understanding the Riots

What Caused the Riots?

Many people involved in the riots were African Americans who felt let down. Their families might have moved to cities hoping for better lives. But after generations, they were still stuck in poor urban neighborhoods with few chances to improve their economic situation.

Local problems like not having good housing or jobs, along with issues like police harassment, made these city areas ready for violence. Often, the immediate cause of a riot was a conflict between African Americans and aggressive white people or police officers. This would draw a crowd and quickly turn into chaos.

For example, in July 1963, protests in Brooklyn about unfair working conditions in construction almost turned into riots.

How Did the Riots Unfold?

People in the riots often acted together. They would destroy property that they felt belonged to those who were taking advantage of them. Police officers were often seen as the main opponents by the rioters. Their actions and sometimes racist language became symbols of the unfair conditions African Americans faced.