The United States has a complicated history with slavery. Debates continue about what determines racism and discrimination and whether or not old held beliefs and symbols are appropriate in the 21st century. To provide clarity and background for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and the continued struggle for equality for all Americans, we must look first to the past.
Slavery By Another Name
We will be watching the full length video in class. You will use a KWL chart to take notes and discuss as we go along. This documentary reveals what happened to African-Americans/Blacks in that 100 year period between "freedom" and the Civil Rights Movement. It reveals WHY we needed the Civil Rights Movement and why equality is an on-going process.
FURTHER RESEARCHThese topics were mentioned in the documentary Slavery By Another Name. Research these topics to deepen your understanding of them.
1. 13th Amendment 2. Black Codes & Pig Laws 3. Convict Leasing System 4. Debt Peonage 5. Plessy v. Ferguson |
Race Riots of the 1900s
A brief look at the history of riots in the United States in the 1900s related to
the expansion of civil rights and the continuing quest for equality.
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The Little Rock Nine, September 1957
Summary: On May 17, 1954, The U.S. Supreme Court determined that school segregation by color was unconstitutional in its Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision. This decision ended legal segregation under the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision. This was perhaps the first time racism and discrimination took the national stage. With no internet and WiFi (no texting, quick video, no email, no social media), local news events didn't often make the national headlines. |
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The 1919 Chicago Race Riots
Summary: The riot started because a young black man accidentally drifted into the "whites only" section of the beach at Lake Michigan. White beach goers stoned him and he drowned to death. Police refused to arrest the white men who'd been seen throwing the rocks. This triggered 13 days of upheaval and violence around the city. According to Britannica.com, the rioting resulted in "38 dead (23 Blacks, 15 whites), 537 injured, and 1,000 Black families made homeless." |
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The 1965 Watts Riots
Summary: In August 1965, highway patrol officers pulled over two brothers, both Black. The driver failed his sobriety test and was getting arrested. He resisted and his brother intervened to help him. This turned into a scuffle that eventually involved their mother and the gathering crowd. Violence and mayhem lasted six days. According to History.com, there were "34 deaths, 1,032 injuries and 4,000 arrests, involving 34,000 people and ending in the destruction of 1,000 buildings, totaling $40 million in damages." |
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The 1967 Detroit Riots
Summary: Police raid an illegal night club which triggered a string of events that same night. Crowds spilled into the streets and once the looting began events escalated. By morning, battle lines were drawn by police and the National Guard. The Army eventually came through with tanks. According to History.com, "more than 7,000 people were arrested during the four days of rioting. A total of 43 people were killed. Some 1,700 stores were looted and nearly 1,400 buildings burned, causing roughly $50 million in property damage. Some 5,000 people were left homeless." |
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The 1968 Riots after MLK's Assassination
Summary: After MLK's assassination, protests erupted across several cities in America. Some protests became violent. As with all previous riots across America, there were many underlying causes stemming from unfair housing and discrimination to mistreatment by local law officials and government. BlackPast.org has a good article on these riots. |
Race Riots late 1900s into the 2000s
Rioting against racial inequality and racial injustice
continued long after after MLK died.
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The 1980 McDuffie Riot
Summary: A former black Marine was beaten to death by 4 police officers, after he ran through a red light in 1979 in Tampa Bay, Florida. After a trial found them not-guilty, protests broke out against the injustice. The protests turned violent in Florida's Brownsville and Liberty City, both black communities, where businesses were burned and looted. In the end, 18 were dead and more than 300 injured. |
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The 1980 Rodney King Riots in Los Angeles
Summary: A citizen videotaped 4 police officers beating Rodney King after a high speed chase. The officers were found not guilty and protests against the injustice of police and the judicial system turned violent. This LINK is also about the 1980 LA Riots
https://youtu.be/m1CKSFjgQbE |
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The 2001 Cincinnati Riot
Summary: Cincinnati police shot nineteen-year-old Timothy Thomas who in the process of getting arrested for traffic citations. According to BlackPast.org, "The riot was the largest urban disturbance in the United States since the 1992 Rodney King Riots and caused an estimated $3.6 million in damage to 120 businesses and public buildings." |
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The 2014 Ferguson Riot
Summary: Michael Brown, a young Black man, was shot and killed by a white police officer. The black community wanted the officer to be charged for murder. The grand jury didn't make that decision and protests erupted across the streets. For more details, you can start by clicking on this article by BlackPast.org. |
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The 2015 Baltimore Riots
Summary: Freddie Gray was 25 years old when he died in custody of the Baltimore Police. As with other similar incidents across the nation, the black community rallied together demanding justice. Protests against police brutality began and some of these became violent. The police officers were charged, but none of them were convicted. According to Blackpast.org, "the Freddie Gray case served as a rallying cry for the recently formed Black Lives Matter movement." |
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The 2016 Charlotte Riots
Summary: The Charlotte Riot began after 43 year old Keith Lamont was killed by a police officer. Peaceful protesters took to the streets. A boycott against white business owners was called. Confusion about the officer who shot Lamont added to the growing frustration of protesters. They believed, at first, a white officer had been involved, when it had been a black officer. Peaceful demonstrations turned violent. The BlackPast.org article has more details. |
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The 2020 George Floyd Riots Across the U.S.
Summary: A white police officer used excessive force to detain George Floyd which led to his death. Citizens standing nearby filmed the event in real time, some pleading with officers to let George Floyd up. Riots broke out across American cities in protest of George Floyd's death and what it represented: a continuation of institutionalized injustice and racism. |
Drawing Conclusions About Race Riots in America
Race riots have a long history in the United States. Behind each riot was a long list of grievances from unfair housing laws, high unemployment, poverty, displacement from homes, and a seemingly unending list of names of black citizens dying at the hands of police.