The Watts Riots: Turning Point In The Civil Rights Movement

The civil rights movement was a significant struggle for African-Americans in the mid- 20th century, consisting various social movements to bring about change, end racial discrimination and ultimately gain rights equivalent to those of whites. Albeit there were many enactments that asserted the rights of blacks throughout the epoch, as it was evident and still is today, laws cannot force society to change their view on people and it solely suppressed the racial attitudes that existed. The Watts Riots were a turning point in the civil rights movement because it challenged the non-violent philosophy, converted it from this idea of gaining rights to economics in the ghettos and contributed to white backlash.

The Second Great Migration and

The BPP was founded in 1966, a year after the Riots in Los Angeles took place and it was a revolutionary black nationalist organization that pleaded this idea of black power. Their core practice was to “monitor the behavior of police officers and challenge police brutality”20 in California, protecting blacks in the state from acts of violence caused by the LAPD and other police departments there. The BBP were aware of the fact that despite the government’s laws, most of them were not direct in terms of them being established rapidly. Hence, as listed in their 10 Point Platform, “we want the power to determine the destiny of our black community”21 , which goes along with having adequate housing, reasonable employment and education. Furthermore, they were in full support of the Black Power Movement, supported by Malcolm X and this concept of needing blacks to have a hand in controlling because it will give the dignity needed for them to prosper in society. Likewise, they were beneficial because of their various actions, one being the programs put into play that accentuated the well being of communities. They were truly an iconic symbol due to their insistent