Watts Erupts: Six Days of Riots Tear Los Angeles
Watts erupted into six days of violent unrest after police arrested a young Black motorist, leaving 34 people dead and over 1,000 injured. This explosion of anger forced the federal government to acknowledge deep-seated urban inequality, directly triggering the creation of the Kerner Commission to investigate the root causes of civil disorder in American cities.
August 11, 1965
61 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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