Watts Riots-- Almost Caught: as someone yells, "Police, Police" and a siren wails, a gang of looters grab all they can from a grocery story and run home, spilling plunder all over the street, Los Angeles.

The Watts Riots, sometimes referred to as the Watts Rebellion, took place in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles from August 11 to 16, 1965. On August 11, Marquette Frye, a black motorist on parole for robbery, was pulled over for reckless driving. A minor roadside argument broke out and then escalated into a fight with police. False rumors spread that the police had hurt a pregnant woman; six days of looting and arson followed. Los Angeles police needed the support of nearly 4,000 members of the California Army National Guard to quell the riots, which resulted in 34 deaths and over $40 million in property damage. The riots were blamed principally on police racism. It was the city's worst unrest until the Rodney King riots of 1992.

Variant illustrated: Life Magazine, August 27, 1965, 28.

On verso: manuscript artist's credits, manuscript title, manuscript date, Life Magazine stamp and agency stamp.

This object has the following keywords:

• Civil Rights Movements
• Crowds
• Grocery Stores
• Injustice
• Looting
• Los Angeles Riots 1965
• Racial Discrimination
• South Central Los Angeles
• Street Scenes

• Image Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 9 7/16 in. (16.51 x 23.97 cm) Measured by Hudson, Karen
• Sheet Dimensions: 7 15/16 x 9 7/8 in. (20.16 x 25.08 cm) Measured by Hudson, Karen