New York Riots of the 1960s
The New York Riots of the 1960s were significant events that reflected the racial tensions and frustrations within African American communities during a turbulent era in the United States. The first major riot occurred in 1964, triggered by the police shooting of a fifteen-year-old African American, James Powell, which sparked widespread unrest in Harlem. This incident highlighted the deep-seated grievances regarding both de jure and de facto discrimination faced by African Americans, particularly in northern cities. The riots involved protests that escalated into violence, resulting in injuries, arrests, and significant property damage.
Three years later, in 1967, another riot erupted following a concert in Central Park, demonstrating how racial tensions continued to simmer. The response from law enforcement was more measured compared to the earlier unrest, as the New York Police Department had begun to implement strategies aimed at better handling such situations, including increasing the number of African American officers on the force. These riots not only garnered national attention but also spurred discussions on civil rights legislation and the need for reforms to address systemic discrimination. Overall, the New York Riots of the 1960s were emblematic of the broader struggles faced by African Americans in their fight for equality and justice during a pivotal time in American history.
New York Riots of the 1960s
Date: July 18-23, 1964; July 26, 1967
Riots injuring many in New York City during the 1960’s. The race-related riots in the streets of the city exemplify the turmoil throughout the nation over civil rights issues.
Origins and History
The Civil Rights movement, in bringing attention to the inequality of legally imposed segregation in the South, also highlighted the de facto discrimination that affected the economic status and living conditions of African Americans in northern and western cities. Many African Americans became somewhat frustrated with the slow pace of the struggle for civil rights.
The Riots
On July 16, 1964, New YorkPolice Department Lieutenant Thomas Gilligan shot and killed James Powell, a fifteen-year-old African American. The officer’s claim that he acted in self-defense when Powell allegedly threatened him with a knife was not accepted by many African Americans. The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) held a rally in Harlem two days later that turned into the 1964 New York riot. Three years later, on July 26, 1967, with racial tensions still high from a riot in the Puerto Rican area of East Harlem on July 23-25, about two hundred African Americans became involved in a riot after a rock concert in Central Park The New York riots of 1964 and 1967 were typical of the urban unrest that accompanied the racial tensions of the decade. By 1964, African Americans were demanding equality, especially in the South where they faced legally imposed (de jure) discrimination, and to a lesser extent in the North, where they suffered from de facto discrimination. The U.S. Congress was considering new civil rights legislation, but many African Americans were angered by the more subtle discrimination and the economically bleak situation in the nation’s northern and western inner cities.
The killing of Powell was simply a spark that served to ignite a dangerous situation. After the CORE rally on July 16, 1964, protesters marched to the police station, and rioting broke out. African Americans roamed the streets, breaking store windows and throwing bottles at police officers. The rioting continued until July 23, 1964. One African American was killed, five others were shot and wounded, eighty-one civilians and thirty-five police officers were injured, one hundred and twelve stores were looted, and one hundred and eighty-five people were arrested.
On July 26, 1967, around two hundred African Americans marched down Fifth Avenue in New York City, looting stores and breaking windows after a concert in Central Park. An estimated twenty-six thousand dollars worth of goods was stolen, and twenty-two youths were arrested. Later, on July 29, 1967, more violence broke out but was quickly controlled.
Impact
The riots called national attention to the discrimination that affected African Americans in New York City. After the 1964 riots, which were the first urban race-related riots of the decade, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to detect any possible violations of federal laws and to search for possible communist influence. Paul Screvane, the acting mayor of New York in 1964 declared that the Powell killing would go to trial and that more African American police officers would work in the area where the conflict took place.
In 1967, race-related unrest erupted in cities all across the nation. The looting of New York City’s Fifth Avenue did not escalate into a major incident the way the 1964 unrest did because the city’s officers were better trained on how to handle the situation. The New York Police Department had begun to employ a large number of African Americans on the force to prevent racial tensions from becoming overwhelming.
Additional Information
The Kerner Commission Report (1968) contains important information on race-related riots and the conditions that produced them, and The New York Times provides detailed accounts of both the 1964 and 1967 riots.