1968 Chicago Riots
Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed on April 4 of 1968 at 6:01 p.m. He was shot on the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Violence and chaos followed almost immediately. Blacks flooded out onto the streets of all the major cities, starting riots. Chicago, Illinois, Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington D.C. had the worst of the riots.
In Chicago, 39 people were killed. 34 of those people were black. Over 48 hours of rioting left 11 Chicago citizens dead, 48 wounded by Chicago police gunfire, 90 policeman injured, and 2,150 people arrested. The violence started in the West Side Ghettos and later expanded to a 28 block stretch of West Madison Street and Roosevelt Road. Windows were broken, fires were set. 36 major fires were reported between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. alone. By April 6, more than 6,700 Illinois National Guard Troops were called to the scene. 5,000 U.S. Army troops were also sent into Chicago by President Johnson. The General declared that nobody was allowed to have gatherings in the riot areas, and he authorized the use of tear gas.
The riots resulted in over 125 fires and 210 buildings being damaged. Over $10 million worth of damages. After the riots, Chicago experienced food shortages, there was an increase in the pace of de-industrialization.
In Chicago, 39 people were killed. 34 of those people were black. Over 48 hours of rioting left 11 Chicago citizens dead, 48 wounded by Chicago police gunfire, 90 policeman injured, and 2,150 people arrested. The violence started in the West Side Ghettos and later expanded to a 28 block stretch of West Madison Street and Roosevelt Road. Windows were broken, fires were set. 36 major fires were reported between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. alone. By April 6, more than 6,700 Illinois National Guard Troops were called to the scene. 5,000 U.S. Army troops were also sent into Chicago by President Johnson. The General declared that nobody was allowed to have gatherings in the riot areas, and he authorized the use of tear gas.
The riots resulted in over 125 fires and 210 buildings being damaged. Over $10 million worth of damages. After the riots, Chicago experienced food shortages, there was an increase in the pace of de-industrialization.
Links
\http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Chicago_riotshttp://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/conventions/chicago/facts/chicago68/index.shtml
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-chicagodays-kingriots-story,0,4609945.story
\http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Chicago_riotshttp://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/conventions/chicago/facts/chicago68/index.shtml
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-chicagodays-kingriots-story,0,4609945.story