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Los Angeles 1965: Watts Riots
The devastating five-day riots in Watts, Los Angeles, began with a young African American, Marquette Frye. Frye had been out driving, when a Highway Patrolman pulled him over, and arrested him for intoxication. A small crowd had gathered to witness Frye’s arrest, and tensions began to fuel the eventual violence. The neighborhood of Watts, an impoverished and mostly African American community, suffered from a high unemployment rate, low-quality housing, and inferior schools. The violent outburst from Frye’s arrest was the catalyst that started the much larger riots, fueled by the injustices the residents of Watts felt they had endured.
The violent riots focused mostly in the Watts neighborhood. Arson and mass looting was rampant amongst the rioting. Eventually, 4,000 California National Guards were deployed into South L.A. The rioting lasted five days, from August 11th to August 17th, and was the largest and most expensive of the riots during the Civil Rights movement.
This was one of the most dramatic of the riots, and showed how the African American community felt mistreated and discriminated against. It stunned and shocked America, being the largest riot during the time. 34 people were killed during the riots, with 31 killed from police violence. Over 1,000 reported injuries occurred, and over 4,000 arrests took place. This riot also foreshadowed the several protests and other riots in the following years. Overall the riots were unsuccessful. No city official did anything to try to improve social and economic conditions of African Americans living in the Watts Neighborhood.