Newark riots

Newark riots
Al Lowe · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Newark riots
Date	July 12-17, 1967
Location	Newark, New Jersey, United States
Caused by	Police brutality, Racial segregation, Economic inequality
Methods	Rioting, Looting, Arson
Result	26 deaths, over 1,000 injured, 1,600 arrested

Newark riots. The Newark riots were a series of violent disturbances that occurred in Newark, New Jersey, from July 12 to July 17, 1967, involving African Americans, Italian Americans, and Puerto Ricans. The riots were sparked by the Beating of John Smith, an African American taxi driver, by Newark Police Department officers, which was witnessed by Amiri Baraka, a prominent African American poet and activist, and LeRoi Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. The event drew attention from Martin Luther King Jr., Stokely Carmichael, and other prominent Civil Rights Movement leaders, including Ralph Abernathy and Andrew Young.

● Introduction

The Newark riots were one of the many Racial unrest in the United States incidents that occurred during the Long hot summer of 1967, which also saw riots in Detroit, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. The riots were a culmination of long-standing tensions between the African American community and the Newark Police Department, which was largely composed of Italian Americans and Irish Americans, including Police Commissioner Dominick Spina. The event was also influenced by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which were championed by President Lyndon B. Johnson and Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr.. The riots drew attention from National Association for the Advancement of Colored People leaders, such as Roy Wilkins and Thurgood Marshall, as well as Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee activists, including John Lewis and Julian Bond.

● Background

The Newark riots were preceded by a long history of Racial segregation and Economic inequality in Newark, New Jersey, which was exacerbated by the Great Migration of African Americans from the Southern United States to the Northern United States. The city's African American population faced significant challenges, including Housing segregation, Employment discrimination, and Police brutality, which were documented by Sociologist Kenneth Clark and Psychologist Mamie Clark. The Newark Police Department was also criticized for its Racial profiling and Excessive use of force, which was highlighted by the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Urban League. The city's Italian American and Puerto Rican communities also faced challenges, including Discrimination and Stereotyping, which were addressed by Congressman Peter Rodino and Senator Jacob Javits.

● The Riots

The Newark riots began on July 12, 1967, after the Beating of John Smith, an African American taxi driver, by Newark Police Department officers, which was witnessed by Amiri Baraka and LeRoi Jones. The event sparked widespread Rioting, Looting, and Arson, which was met with a heavy response from the Newark Police Department and the New Jersey National Guard, led by Governor Richard J. Hughes. The riots resulted in 26 deaths, over 1,000 injuries, and 1,600 arrests, with many African American and Puerto Rican residents affected, including Congressman Donald Payne and Mayor Kenneth Gibson. The event drew attention from President Lyndon B. Johnson, who deployed Federal troops to the city, and Attorney General Ramsey Clark, who launched an investigation into the riots.

● Aftermath

The Newark riots had a significant impact on the city of Newark, New Jersey, leading to a decline in the city's population and economy, which was documented by Economist John Kenneth Galbraith and Sociologist Daniel Patrick Moynihan. The event also led to a re-evaluation of the city's Policing practices and the establishment of the Newark Police Department's Internal Affairs division, which was overseen by Police Commissioner James McCarthy. The riots also spurred the development of Community-based initiatives, including the Newark Community Union Project, which was founded by Amiri Baraka and LeRoi Jones, and the Newark Housing Authority, which was established by Mayor Kenneth Gibson and Congressman Peter Rodino. The event drew attention from National Association for the Advancement of Colored People leaders, such as Roy Wilkins and Thurgood Marshall, as well as Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee activists, including John Lewis and Julian Bond.

● Legacy

The Newark riots are remembered as a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the need for Police reform and Community-based initiatives, which was emphasized by Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael. The event has been commemorated by the Newark Museum, the New Jersey Historical Society, and the National Civil Rights Museum, which was founded by Mayor Willie W. Herenton and Congressman John Conyers. The riots have also been the subject of numerous Documentaries, including "The Newark Riots" and "Revolution '67", which were produced by PBS and HBO. The event continues to be studied by Historians, including David Levering Lewis and Nell Irvin Painter, and Sociologists, including Kenneth Clark and Mamie Clark, as a significant example of Racial unrest in the United States and the ongoing struggle for Civil rights and Social justice, which is championed by American Civil Liberties Union and the National Urban League. Category:Riots in the United States