Watts (L.A) race riots - racial tension explodes in the big city.
The Watts Riots were a civil disturbance in Los Angeles, California. The riots took place from August 11 through August 15, 1965. The incident resulted in 34 deaths, 1,032 injuries, 3,438 arrests, and over $40 million in property damage. The riots began when a white police officer pulled over a 21-year-old black man on suspicion of drunk driving in the Watts neighborhood where he lived on the evening of August 11. A crowd soon gathered and the officer called for back-up, who attempted to arrest Frye using physical force to subdue him. The growing crowd of local residents watching the exchange began yelling and throwing rocks. After the arrest, the crowd continued to grow. Police came to the scene to break up the crowd a few times that night, but were attacked by rocks and concrete. Until the Watts Riots, black civil rights demonstrations had been relatively non-violent on the part of the demonstrators. The riots awakened the nation to the fact that the gloves were off.
2. Kwanzaa first...
honoring universal African-American heritage and culture, observed from December 26 to January 1 each year. It features activities such as lighting a candle holder with seven candles and culminates in a feast and gift-giving. It was created by Maulana Karenga and was first celebrated in 1966 -- 67. Karenga created the holiday to give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and give blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and history, rather than imitate the dominate society.
3. Berlin Wall - Europe truly split
On August 13, 1961, the communist East German government began building a wall to physically separate West Berlin from East Berlin and the rest of East Germany. The wall was erected in response to massive numbers of East Germans fleeing to West Berlin as a way to escape to the west. The East German government called the wall the anti-fascist protection wall. It was possible for westerners to pass between…
