the riots of 1964-7

• What was the location of the Watts riots?

  Watts is a suburb of Los Angeles.
• When did the Watts riots occur?

  The Watts riots broke out in the summer of 1965.
• How many people were killed during the Watts riots?

  34 people were killed.
• What sparked the Watts riots?

  The Watts riot was sparked by a policeman shooting a young black man.
• What were the conditions in the ghettos during the Watts riots?

  The conditions in the ghettos were awful.
• What were three long-term reasons for the Watts riots?

  • Police discrimination
  • Unemployment
  • Poor quality of education
• What percentage of the rioters were young black men?

  80% of the rioters were young black men.
• What were three consequences of the Watts riots?

  • More people joined Black Power.
  • Increased reaction from white people.
  • Martin Luther King visited and decided that the SCLC must campaign in the North.
• What was the significance of Martin Luther King's visit after the Watts riots?

  He decided that the SCLC must campaign in the North.
• What was the Kerner Report?

  The Kerner Report was a report set up by Johnson to investigate the riots.
• Why was the Kerner Report written?

  It was written to assess what happened during the riots.
• Did the Kerner Report lead to any changes in the civil rights movement?

  • Yes: Police had to change their policing methods.
  • Yes: Federal money was allocated to improve ghetto conditions.
  • No: Funds were often spent on police equipment instead of community improvement.
  • No: No serious attempts were made to improve ghettos or win trust from the black community.
• What effect did the publicity of the riots have?

  It drew attention to ghetto problems.
• What was the most significant cause of the race riots?

  The conditions in ghettos
• What was the role of police brutality in the race riots?

  It contributed to the tensions that led to the riots
• How did the riots affect the civil rights movement?

  • Evidence to support: The riots damaged the civil rights movement.
  • Evidence to disagree: The riots drew attention to racial issues.
  • Overall judgment: The riots did/did not damage the progress of the Civil Rights movement.
• What was the focus of the Congress of Racial Equality?

  • Fighting for civil rights in the courts
  • Peaceful non-violent direct action
• What was the significance of the Kerner Report?

  It addressed the causes of urban riots and recommended solutions