On This Day

Race riot in Harlem, New York City; riots spread to Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn

The Harlem riot of 1964 was a race riot that occurred between July 16 and 22, 1964 in the New York City neighborhoods of Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, United States.

The Harlem riot of 1964 was a race riot that occurred between July 16 and 22, 1964 in the New York City neighborhoods of Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, United States. It began after James Powell, a 15-year-old African American, was shot and killed by police Lieutenant Thomas Gilligan in front of Powell's friends and about a dozen other witnesses. Hundreds of students from Powell's school protested the killing. The shooting set off six consecutive nights of rioting. By some accounts, 4,000 people participated in the riots. People attacked the New York City Police Department (NYPD), destroyed property, and looted stores. Several rioters were severely beaten by NYPD officers. The riots and unrest left one dead, 118 injured, and 465 arrested.

Historical Significance

The Harlem riot of 1964 was a race riot that occurred between July 16 and 22, 1964 in the New York City neighborhoods of Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, United States.

Events Before

  1. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech

    Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, calling for an end to racism in the United States.

  2. David Cone is born

    David Cone athlete, known for american baseball player and analyst, was born on 1963-01-02.

  3. American banker George Woods succeeds Eugene Black as president of the World Bank

    George David Woods (July 27, 1901 – August 20, 1982) was an American investment banker and financier. He served as the fourth President of the World Bank, from January 1963 until March 1968.

  4. Beatles release the single "Please Please Me" / "Ask Me Why"; peaks at #2 in UK, and #3 in US

    Introducing... The Beatles is the first studio album released by the English rock band the Beatles in the United States.

  5. Los Angeles night club and music venue The Whiskey A-Go-Go opens (inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2006)

    The Yardbirds are an English rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page...

Events After

  1. 49-year-old former England international soccer forward Stanley Matthews is the only player to be awarded a knighthood w

    49-year-old former England international soccer forward Stanley Matthews is the only player to be awarded a knighthood while still playing for Stoke City

  2. State funeral for Winston Churchill at St Paul's Cathedral in London; at the time, the world's largest-ever state funera

    State funeral for Winston Churchill at St Paul's Cathedral in London; at the time, the world's largest-ever state funeral

  3. Righteous Brothers' music single "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" hits #1

    "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is a song by Phil Spector, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil, first recorded in 1964 by the American vocal duo the Righteous Brothers.

  4. One of the most popular musical films of all time, "The Sound of Music," starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer,

    One of the most popular musical films of all time, "The Sound of Music," starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, premieres (Academy Award for Best Picture - 1966)

  5. Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov leaves his spacecraft Voskhod 2 for 12 minutes and becomes the first person to conduct a

    Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov leaves his spacecraft Voskhod 2 for 12 minutes and becomes the first person to conduct a spacewalk

More from the 1960s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 18, 1964?
The Harlem riot of 1964 was a race riot that occurred between July 16 and 22, 1964 in the New York City neighborhoods of Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, United States. It began after James Powell, a 15-year-old African American, was shot and killed by police Lieutenant Thomas Gilligan in front of Powell's friends and about a dozen other witnesses. Hundreds of students from Powell's school protested the killing.
Why is Race riot in Harlem, New York City; riots spread to Bedford-Stuyvesant in Bro... significant?
The Harlem riot of 1964 was a race riot that occurred between July 16 and 22, 1964 in the New York City neighborhoods of Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant, United States.

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