The Causes of the Black Riots in the 1960s Essay - 3133 Words

The Causes of the Black Riots in the 1960s Throughout the 1960s many riots involving black people and other minority groups took place in the Eastern States of America. The 1965 riots in Watt County were one such example and demonstrated the horrific inequalities still present in America one year after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had been introduced. The riots lasted for six days, leaving 34 people dead, over a thousand injured, nearly 4,000 arrested and hundreds of buildings destroyed. There were many factors that played a part in causing the riots such as a failing education system, damaged relations between the police force and minority groups (especially black African Americans) and poor†¦show more content†¦Another reason for the discontent and anger leading up to the Watts County riots was the competition between minority groups. Rather than pulling together and uniting in their battle for equality as one might expect, they instead formed strong rivalries that lead to fierce conflict for the limited resources not already taken by white people. Also many white people preferred to hire lighter-skinned minorities, most of whom were Chicanos. This caused unrest within the black community, who were angry and upset as this meant there were very few jobs left available. Arguably the most significant single factor which contributed to the 1960s riots was the issue of policing at the time. For many years there had been negative encounters between white members of the Los Angeles police force and the African Americas and this lead to resentment within black society. Many officers were corrupt and above all racist and discrimination was widespread and apparent. A large number of officers lied in arrest reports against black citizens and some even beat and tortured Black men regardless of whether or not they had committed or were even suspected of committing any crime. These officers abused their authority within the community using it not to achieve justice and order, but as a tool forShow MoreRelatedThe Rebellion Of The Mid 1960s1479 Words   |  6 PagesRebels with a Cause During the mid-1960s, various racially driven riots descended upon Northern urban centers and blanketed the cities with violence and destruction. Historians have long debated the cause of these riots and whether they were actually riots, or rebellions against America’s prevalent racial polarization in urban areas. 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