RIOTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Public disorder in the form of riots in the United States is almost as old as the country (National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, 1968). While riots have never reached the stage of becoming a way of life in the United States, neither can their occurrence be considered a rarity. During the mid1960s1963 through 1967, public disorder very nearly did become a way of life in the country's urban areasparticularly so in the major population centers (National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, 1968).

This research examines the phenomenon of riots in the United States. In this examination, an attempt is made to identify the causes of urban riots, and an effort is made to suggest what communities and government could have done to preclude the development of riots. Within the context of time, the focus of this research is on the 19631967 period. Urban riots are considered, as opposed to politicallybased riots antiwar riots which also occurred during this time period. The focal point for the antiwar riots was the Viet Nam War (Sumner and Barth, 1990). When that war was brought to a conclusion, the antiwar riots went into an eclipse. Recent federal administrations in the United States have successfully muted antiwar criticisms through the use of an allvolunteer army in combat, and through the creation of a Rambo image for American foreign policy. As a consequence, Americans have been able to emulate the

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in Watts, and a series of 13 riots ensued over the spring and summer months (National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, 1968). The majority of the participants in six of the 13 riots was comprised of young men. In past urban riots in the United States, and in the remaining seven riots in Watts in the summer of 1966, the majority of participants was comprised of adults (National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, 1968). The turning off of an illegally opened fire hydrant in a black Chicago neighborhood in the summer of 1966 sparked a major riot of several days duration (National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, 1968). The riot was marked by rock throwing, looting, fire bombing, and random gunfire. Three black persons were killed by stray bullets. In 1967, major riots occurred at three black universities located in the SouthFisk University and Tennessee A & I University, both located in Nashville, and Jackson State College, located in Jackson, Missiissppi. A riot also occurred at a black university in TexasTexas Southern University, located in Houston. The Nashville riot began when SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) militants at Fisk and Tennessee A & I objected when a black police office
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Approximate Word count = 2833
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page)

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