Wilmington riot of 1968 facts for kids

The Wilmington Civil Unrest of 1968 happened in Wilmington, Delaware, in April of that year. It followed the sad news of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.. No one died during this unrest. However, many people were hurt, arrested, and some buildings were burned.

Even though the unrest stopped quickly, the governor kept the Delaware Army National Guard in the city. They stayed as a controlling force for ten months, until the next year.

Why It Happened: Wilmington's Tensions

Before 1968, there were already strong feelings and disagreements in Wilmington. The city had seen similar unrest in 1919. Many white city residents had moved to the suburbs. At the same time, many Black people from the South moved into the city.

Building I-95 also caused some bad feelings. These changes led to a city that felt divided. Local leaders tried to fix these social problems, but they were not successful.

In July 1967, racial tensions grew. There were two days of damage, stealing from stores, and setting fires. Wilmington's Mayor, John Babiarz, asked for more state police patrols. Governor Charles L. Terry warned about violence and plots. He put 1,500 National Guardsmen on standby. He also made a law that gave him the only power to declare martial law. Martial law means the military takes control of the city.

What Happened During the Unrest

After Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, many Black young people gathered. They went to the main downtown area of Wilmington. On April 9–10, 1968, they began taking things from stores.

Reports of shots being fired made Mayor Babiarz declare a state of emergency. He set a curfew, meaning people had to be off the streets at certain times. He also asked Governor Terry for help. The unrest lasted two days. It was smaller than similar events in other cities. But it showed how deep Wilmington's racial problems were.

National Guard Arrives

On April 9, 1968, Governor Terry ordered 2,800 National Guard members to Wilmington. Their job was to patrol the streets and bring back order. He also sent Guard troops to Rehoboth Beach. Troops also went to Delaware State College in Dover. This college was mainly for Black students.

Within a week, Mayor Babiarz asked for the soldiers to leave. But Governor Terry said no. He claimed he had secret information about possible new and more violent racial problems.

Long Military Presence

Mayor Babiarz and other important people kept asking for the National Guard to be removed. But Governor Terry insisted, "The Guard is going to stay in Wilmington until we're sure people and property owners are adequately protected." Because of this, Mayor Babiarz openly disagreed with Governor Terry.

Wilmington remained under military control for the rest of 1968. This was nine months. It was said to be the longest time an American city was occupied by armed forces since the Civil War.

When the Governor called in the National Guard, he also decided that the Delaware State Police should work with them. State Troopers were with each Guard group in the city. This was to make sure there was a police officer to help soldiers make good decisions about using force. These groups helped protect firefighters. Firefighters were trying to put out the many fires set by people involved in the unrest. Reports of gunshots made many firefighters pull back until the Guard could protect them.

How Wilmington Changed

There are different ideas about how serious the unrest in Wilmington was. One writer said that "21 buildings were destroyed by fire, 40 people were injured…154 citizens were arrested." Another writer said "only a dozen persons were reportedly injured and property damage was minimal." A historian named Carol Hoffecker said the Wilmington unrest was "a small, short-lived affair that did relatively little damage."

No matter how serious it was, the long military presence in Wilmington got national attention. It made the city look bad. It also embarrassed Wilmington's business leaders. They tried to get Governor Terry to remove the National Guard, but they failed.

Impact on the 1968 Election

The election for governor in Delaware in 1968 was mostly about the National Guard in Wilmington. Governor Terry lost the election to Russell Peterson. But even after his defeat, Governor Terry still refused to take out the National Guard.

It was up to Governor Peterson. Within an hour of becoming governor in January 1969, he signed the order. This finally ended the military occupation of Wilmington.

Impact on Wilmington's Growth

The unrest made people in the suburbs more afraid of the city. It also led to strong disagreements in the 1970s. These disagreements were about mixing schools from different areas. They were also about moving the main hospital for the region.