Watts Riot in Los Angeles, August 1965 (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes

Watts Riot in Los Angeles, August 1965

Introduction: a different context for racial violence

By 1965, the context for racial unrest in America had changed dramatically compared to the riots of the early 20th century. The civil rights movement had achieved substantial legal victories, fundamentally transforming the position of black Americans in law. However, these legal gains masked deeper social and economic problems that would fuel a new wave of urban violence.

Civil rights gains by 1965

The period leading up to the Watts riot had witnessed significant progress in securing civil equality for black Americans:

• 1954: The US Supreme Court declared the principle of 'separate but equal' treatment unconstitutional in terms of public education, overturning decades of legal segregation
• Early 1960s: President J.F. Kennedy introduced affirmative action in federal employment and through federal contracts, guaranteeing black Americans a proportion of jobs
• 1964: Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, outlawing discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, or national origin
• 1965: Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which together with the Civil Rights Act gave black Americans civil equality with white Americans

The paradox: legal equality but social inequality

Background to the Watts Riot

Inner-city conditions

The inner-city areas of the north and west remained largely untouched by the achievements of the civil rights movement. These neighbourhoods were characterised by four major problems:

• High unemployment: Limited job opportunities and economic prospects
• Crime: Elevated crime rates and lack of community safety
• Poor housing: Substandard, overcrowded living conditions
• Police harassment: Aggressive policing tactics and discriminatory treatment by law enforcement

The Watts district in south central Los Angeles exemplified these problems. It was described as a deeply impoverished black American neighbourhood where residents faced daily struggles with inadequate housing, limited employment prospects, and hostile relations with police.

The pattern of riots 1964-68

The Watts riot was not an isolated incident but part of a much wider pattern of urban unrest. Between 1964 and 1968, there were 239 outbreaks of racial violence in over 200 American cities. The Watts riot, which took place between 11 and 15 August 1965, was one of the most significant of these disturbances.

The Watts Riot: events and timeline

The trigger incident

The riot began on 11 August 1965 following what seemed like a routine traffic stop. Marquette Frye, a young black American motorist, was arrested by Lee W. Minikus, a white California highway patrolman, on suspicion of driving while drunk. As a crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene, tension mounted between police officers and the crowd. This tension erupted into violent confrontation, immediately sparking a large-scale riot.

Escalation and spread

The violence quickly spread throughout the commercial section of Watts. The riot centred on the deeply impoverished black American neighbourhood in south central Los Angeles. Over the course of six days, the disorder involved:

• Looting: Rioters systematically looted grocery stores, liquor stores, department stores, and pawnshops
• Arson: Cars were overturned and burned, and buildings were set ablaze
• Violence: Attacks on passing vehicles, particularly those driven by white people
• Property destruction: Widespread damage to businesses, predominantly white-owned

Participants and behavior

The riot involved over 3,500 black rioters. According to the governor's commission report, the participants included:

• Approximately 70% were children and young people
• The remainder were young adults and adults
• Some older black residents questioned the rioters' actions and even suggested police should use force to stop them

Government response

The scale of the disorder required a massive military response:

• Over 14,000 California National Guard troops were mobilised and deployed to south Los Angeles
• A curfew zone encompassing over 45 miles was established in an attempt to restore public order
• Despite this overwhelming show of force, the riot continued for six days before order was restored

Impact and consequences

Casualties

The final statistics from the Watts riot were devastating. A total of 34 people were killed:

• 1 fireman
• 1 deputy sheriff
• 1 Long Beach policeman
• 31 civilians (predominantly rioters and local residents)

Injuries

There were 1,032 reported injuries, including:

• 90 Los Angeles police officers
• 136 firemen
• 10 National Guardsmen
• 23 people from other governmental agencies
• 773 civilians

Of these injuries, 118 resulted from gunshot wounds, indicating the level of armed violence during the riot.

Property damage

Property damage exceeded $40 million (equivalent to several hundred million pounds in today's money). The damage was concentrated mainly on white-owned businesses, reflecting the rioters' anger at economic exploitation of their community by outsiders.

Broader significance

Primary source evidence: the governor's commission report

The governor of California established a commission to investigate the riot. The commission's report from 12 August 1965 (just one day after the riot began) provides valuable contemporary evidence about the nature of the violence.

Key observations from the report

The commission noted that by 12:20 a.m. on 12 August:

• Approximately 50 to 75 youths were positioned on either side of Avalon Boulevard at Imperial Highway
• They were throwing missiles (rocks and other objects) at passing cars
• Police attempted to disperse the crowd using vehicles with red lights and sirens, but the crowd simply dispersed temporarily and returned when police left
• Some rioters organised themselves, with one person acting as a lookout to signal when vehicles driven by white people approached, so they could be attacked

Community responses

The atmosphere of the riot

Supervisor Kenneth Hahn and his assistant visited the riot scene at about 12:35 a.m. and observed a lack of police roadblocks or presence in the area. Witnesses described the crowd as having the appearance of a carnival, with people acting with abandon and some spectators apparently enjoying the activity as if it were a sporting event. This suggests a complex mix of anger, frustration, excitement, and chaos.

Geographical context

Distribution of black Americans in 1965

By 1965, black Americans were concentrated in several key urban areas:

• Major northern cities: New York, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Cleveland
• Western cities: Los Angeles (including Watts), Oakland, San Francisco
• Southern cities: Washington D.C., Baltimore, Atlanta, New Orleans
• Emerging concentrations: Cities like Newark and Milwaukee

Los Angeles had a significant black American population, with approximately 335,000 black residents, representing about 14% of the city's population. The Watts district was one of the most densely populated black neighbourhoods in the city.

Migration patterns 1965-80

The period surrounding the Watts riot saw continued but changing migration patterns:

1965-70: Significant migration from the South to northern and western cities continued, though at a slower pace than previous decades. California gained over 83,000 black residents, while southern states like Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana experienced substantial losses.

1975-80: Migration patterns became more complex, with some reverse migration to the South. California still gained over 75,000 black residents, but states like Georgia, Texas, and Maryland also saw increases. Traditional northern industrial cities like New York, Illinois, and Michigan began to lose black population.

Remember!