The 1967 Buffalo riot was one of 159

race riots An ethnic conflict is a conflict between two or more contending ethnic groups. While the source of the conflict may be political, social, economic or religious, the individuals in conflict must expressly fight for their ethnic group's positi ...

that swept cities in the United States during the "

Long Hot Summer of 1967 The long, hot summer of 1967 refers to the more than 150 race riots that erupted across the United States in the summer of 1967. In June there were riots in Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Buffalo, and Tampa. In July there were riots in Birmingh ...

". This riot occurred on the East Side of

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...

, from June 26 to July 1, 1967. On the afternoon of June 27, 1967, small groups of

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

teenagers cruised the neighborhood of William Street and Jefferson Avenue breaking car and store windows. By night nearly 200 riot-protected police were summoned, and a violent encounter ensued."The Circle Association's African American History of Western New York State, 1935 to 1970"
/ref> Many African Americans, three policemen and one fire fighter were injured. Although the riot dispersed that night, it began again the next afternoon with fires set, cars over-turned, and stores looted, many of them having the words "soul brother" written on them. This time 400 police were summoned. Forty black people were injured, nearly half from bullet wounds. The riots virtually shut down the city. During the night of June 28, over 40 people were hurt, 14 with gunshot wounds.
by the Staff of the Store Front Education Centers On June 30, Jackie Robinson, then serving as Governor Nelson Rockefeller's Special Assistant for Urban Affairs, met with Mayor Frank Sedita about the riots. It was the first move by the Governor to intervene in the violence."Robinson Sent to Buffalo's Riot District,"
by the Associated Press, ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', July 1, 1967. On November 10, 1967, Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

visited Buffalo and in a speech titled "The Future of Integration" at Kleinhans Music Hall before about 2,500 persons sponsored by the Graduate Student Association at the

University at Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. The university was founded in 18 ...

proclaimed: "We are moving toward the day when we will judge a man by his character and ability instead of by the color of his skin.""Massive Action Urged: King Says Negro In Economic Trap,"
by Richard E. Baldwin, ''Buffalo Courier-Express'', November 10, 1967.''Race, Neighborhoods, and Community Power: Buffalo Politics, 1934-1997'', by Neil Kraus, Published 2000, SUNY Press, Buffalo (N.Y.)Google books reference
Walter C. Rucker, James N. Upton, ''Encyclopedia of American race riots'' (Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Press, 2006) p. 83-84.

References

External links

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at BuffaloHistoricfilms.com riot footage
{{DEFAULTSORT:1967 Buffalo Riot African-American riots in the United States 1967 riots 1967 in New York (state) African-American history in Buffalo, New York Riots and civil disorder in New York (state) 20th century in Buffalo, New York June 1967 events in the United States July 1967 events in the United States Long, hot summer of 1967

See also

References

External links