The Baltimore Riots

The 1960s was a time for change. It promoted on going expectations of equality for all races. This proved to be difficult for minorities. In August of 1965, civil unrest broke out, which lead to six-day revolt called the Watts Riot. Nearly thirty years later another riot broke out which caused even greater damage and left an even greater impact in our history, the Rodney King Riots. Both of these events share similar qualities and devastating damages, however, their meanings are much harder to decipher from one another. These impactful events in our society demonstrate how much there needs to change in our society, especially when dealing with minorities.

The neighborhood I have chosen is Watts, California. Before it was known as Watts it was a part of Rancho La Tajuata specializing in livestock grazing and beef production. In the 1870's there was a population boom of White Americans in Southern California. La Tajuata was divided and sold into smaller farms and homes. By the 1900's the development of the railroads brought good things. The town became a city and built it's first station known as Watts Station. In 1926 the city annexed itself to Los Angeles. The railroads brought Mexican and Mexican American workers known as "traqueros" into the community.

On July 27, 1919, a young African-American man named Eugene Williams unknowingly swam past an invisible line of segregation at a public beach on Lake Michigan. He was then stoned by white bystanders, knocked unconscious and drowned. The death of Eugene Williams set off one of the deadliest and bloodiest riots Chicago has ever seen. I also believe that the labor conflict was another major reason as to why these riots took place. While there were several other factors that contribute to the Chicago race riot, I believe that these particular events are what sparked all the madness.

The New York Times had an editorial section called “How Racism Doomed Baltimore” the article hit hard on how, the “riots threw spotlight on the poverty and isolation of the African-American community” (The Editorial Board). Over a period of time, we have seen how Baltimore is racially segregated, placing African Americans in “deeply poor” (The Editorial Board) communities that show a long dark road for boys of color. Studies have shown that those who have been living in the city for the past decade or so when they

The history of African-Americans in the United States is full of many periods of achievements, as well as periods of struggle. The Los Angeles riots of 1992 were the result of many years of systematic racism in the United States following the Civil Rights Movement. The beating and unjust trial of Rodney King exposed the unfair and brutal treatment of African Americans by the police. As well as the shooting of 15 year-old Latasha Harlins 2 weeks after the beating of Rodney King to further ignite hatred within African-Americans in Los Angeles. What came forth was a week long riot not only changed Los Angeles, but the United States. That is why the Los Angeles riots was the most devastating, yet consequential, civil uproar in the history of the United States.

There are a group of students from Woodrow Wilson Classical High School who were apart of the new integration plan following the L.A Riots in 1994. Due to the unfamiliar school setting, students separated themselves into different groups: the Latinos, the African-Americans, and the Caucasian. A new caucasian teacher, Erin Gruwell, comes to the school to teach English to the Freshman and Sophomore class. Before the school year started, the Principal handed Erin Gruwell a list of students who were failing English, the majority of the students had grades in the fifties. Seeing the scores, made her realize that the students needed a great deal of work in order to improve their reading, the mass majority were reading at the 5th-grade level and were the freshman class in High School.

The Los Angeles riots of 1992, the worst civil disturbance in America, brought to light the deepening racial and class divisions that were growing in the U.S. The division of between the rich and the poor, the immigrants and natives, and majority and minority produced an atmosphere of fear, distrust, and hopelessness. Due to the struggle to gain power by racial and ethnic groups, the aftermath of the Los Angeles riots was clouded with racial and ethnical conflicts. However, the riots did increase racial awareness for Korean Americans between the different ethnicities. Dialogue was opened between people, whom prior to the riot, did not interact with each other. Even so, African American, Latino, White, and Asian American victims shared their anger and resentment towards the government for not providing adequate compensation and aid for their losses.

Lately in the news there has been an uprising of racial tragic events. From globally seeing ISIS attack different countries and in America the sensitivity of racial inequality amongst Black Lives Matter. Recently this past month we have witnessed the saddening news of racial inequality in America. With Sterling and Castile, the two black men who were shot and killed by white police officers in separate scenes. Where their deaths sparked protests across the nation pressuring for America to have police reform(Nelson, USA Today, 2016). Or a black gunman who targeted white police officers during a Dallas protest. There has been an arising uproar in America for racial change and equality. This past Sunday on July 10 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana three officers were killed by Gavin Long.

In the month of April 2015, a Baltimore protest was taken to an extreme. When a man named Freddie Gray died in the custody of the Baltimore police, raging riots were set in motion. Within the stirring month, photographer Chip Somodevilla had the perfect opportunity to catch an emotionally engaging photo of several policemen taking control of an arsenic situation caused by the rioters. Consequently, the image illustrates heroism as a result of the photographer’s clever approach regarding his artwork. In the same chaotic wreckage, another brilliant photographer named Robert Stolarik caught a beautiful yet daunting shot of two firemen in front of torching-red flames. Through the manipulation of angle, color, focus, and framing of the

When you walked into the Holocaust museum there was a sort of eerie quiet that had befallen on the building and it’s visitors. It was not heavily ornamented and it made you feel uncomfortable to even be in the building. When the elevator doors opened and allowed us out to the fourth floor, you feel cramped and awkward with how little space you had. This was exactly the intentions of the designers of the building. They wanted to mimic how all those people, who were herded like cattle, felt when they were forced onto the wagons which would lead most of them to their murder. This museum was significant to me because it brought out all the horrible things that happened during that time. I believe that people should know more about the heinous events

I can't imagine that one human being can be this soulless and cruel to another human being. The emotions expressed in this 30-minute short film are too much for one to bear, let alone to witness such horrific events unfolding in reality. The photos used in this movie is graphic and shocking. The motive looks like to force the audience to observe the real result and purpose of the concentration camps. I salute the director of this film, Alain Resnais for detailing such happenings on a definitive documentary that even future generations will check out and grieve over actions perpetrated by other human beings. All things being equal, the Holocaust and also all demonstrations of genocide were a horrific occasion that the world needs to settle. Until the point when we do grapple with these occasions, they can and will happen once more. The students of today are the ones that can have any kind of effect, and on the off chance that we as students can state, "No this isn't right" at that point we will be well on our way from counteracting future occasions of

Protests that have erupted since the deaths of Brown and other casualties of police brutality have been extraordinary. Seemingly out of nowhere, a multiracial, multigenerational movement asserting black humanity in

I considered myself lucky that I was born in 21st century. Everyone today has a voice and stand up for what they think is right or wrong. The visit to the Museum of Tolerance was an eye-opening experience for me. I had heard about Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party before but I did not have any idea of all the sufferings they had brought to the Jewish people in Germany. The Holocaust is one of the most significant event that has happened in the world’s history. The visit to the museum showed me the horrifying facet of discrimination and inhumanity from the past. Jews were being blamed for Germany’s loss during World War I and economic hardships in the country. During the Holocaust, Jewish were discriminated, persecuted and murdered. I felt really sad hearing

My trip to the Museum of the Jewish Heritage was interesting. I enjoyed it very much. This museum provided a mesmerizing approach to the Holocaust. I never knew much about the Holocaust or Jews, but what I did learn that the Museum was constructed to teach us about the lives of the Jews through the Holocaust. The Museum has paid its respect to those individuals who passed on by praising their lives and the treaties that they clenched to, by looking back at their accomplishments and confidence. The new eras of Jews are taught how to identify and battle modern examples of criminal action and abuse. The Jews had a sad life during these hard times of sorrow, vicious treatment and discriminating justice. At the Museum, they had several core exhibits, which told stories of different events throughout

I strongly believe in the power of equality. The word has been thrown around and trashed by misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, and racist people. It has been a trigger word for many. Equality became the fuel to the flame of hatred and discrimination. I believe equality is needed; it is embroidered on flags at pride conventions, shouted from the lungs of civil rights activists, even written on posters at concerts. But equality is not just shown through words: it is shown through action. Equality is women getting paid equally as men; it is people of color receiving the same rights as whites. It is freedom, love, and chance. Discrimination has held equality hostage for generation after generation. Most, if not all, women have been held subordinate to men due to this concept; it was seen through women’s suffrage and the Republican Motherhood. Minorites such as African Americans, Latinos, and others are also discriminated against; it was seen during the 1920’s when the Klu Klux Klan re-emerged and when the Jim Crow Laws were established. People continuously fought and still fight for the equality they deserve. I admire it. I admire all the courage that has poured into the hearts of those being discriminated against. I believe equality is much needed in our day of age; I believe discrimination needs to end.