Aims: Identify why riots took place in northern cities of the USA in the 1960s. Understand why some Blacks began to question non-violent tactics.

Life in the North The Civil Rights Movement had concentrated in achieving change in the southern states for many years; mainly due to the discrimination and segregation which existed there. Despite this, around 50% of Blacks lived in the north of the USA and had been untouched by the achievements of the Civil Rights Movement. Many lived in ghettos facing bad housing, high unemployment, poverty, gang violence and crime.

Ghettos A ghetto is the name for an inner city area with high levels of poverty and typically containing one ethnic/racial group. In northern cities many whites had moved out of the inner cities and Blacks had moved in. The areas had become very poor and run down with increasing tensions between white and Blacks. Racial discrimination and poverty made it almost impossible to escape from ghetto areas.

The Vicious Cycle of the Ghetto Illness, Depression Family problems Poor housing Poor education Low paid or no job Crime, Drugs, gangs

The Ghetto Riots – Watts 1965 In 1965 the first of many city riots broke out in Watts, an area in Los Angeles that was a ghetto slum. The population in Watts was 90% Black and the local police force almost entirely white. In August 1965 the police stopped a Black youth for drunk driving. What started as a local fight turned into a riot which lasted six days, leaving 34 dead, 900 wounded and 4,000 arrested.

Over the next few years there were many riots – in 1966 alone there were 43 ‘race riots’. The riots were often caused by tension between Blacks and White authorities and resentment between Blacks and Whites. Many Blacks were tired of being the victims of violence and intimidation by White police officers.

Importance of Watts, 1965 After the Watts riots, Martin Luther King went to Los Angeles to spread the message of non-violence – however he was heckled and shouted at by young Blacks. This was the beginning of a turning point for the Civil Rights Movement – the message of non- violence was no longer as popular. The more violent message of ‘Black Power’ promised faster results and attracted more support from the Black population. The riots also turned White Americans and even some middle class Black Americans against the cause of Civil Rights.

Tasks Complete questions 1-2 from page 95 of your workguide. Complete questions 1-3 from page 96 of your workguide.