Watts riot scene at Central Ave. and 43rd St., Los Angeles, 1965

Item Overview

Title

Watts riot scene at Central Ave. and 43rd St., Los Angeles, 1965

Alternative title

Scenes on Central Avenue

Photographer

Adams, Harry H., 1918-1988

Date Created

[1965]

Date

1965

Collection

Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection
OpenUCLA Collections

Notes

Description

The Watts Riot, 1965, Los Angeles, 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, 1965, Marquette Frye, an African-American 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. The riots were blamed principally on police racism.
Firefighters battle blazes at Central Avenue and 43rd Street as fire and smoke come from buildings destroyed during the Watts Riot (Rebellion). Fire trucks and hoses line the street.
Central Avenue is a major north-south thoroughfare in the central portion of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. From approximately 1920 to 1955, Central Avenue was the heart of the African-American community in Los Angeles, with active rhythm and blues and jazz music scenes.

Caption

Written on back of photo: Watts Riot. Scene at Central Ave. and 43rd St. during the Watts Riot in 1965. Credit: Harry Adams, Photographer.

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph

Keywords

Genre

photographs

Subject Geographic

Los Angeles (Calif.)

Longitude

34.00574

Latitude

-118.25649

Resource type

still image

Subjects

Central Avenue (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Watts Riot, Los Angeles, Calif., 1965