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Collection of 1967 Newark Riots Newsclippings (1967 - 1987)
Collection IDMss 0037
Size0.5 linear feet
Collection Description
The Newark riots/rebellion took place July 12-17, 1967. While the underlying causes were much broader, the immediate cause of the outbreak of violence was an arrest and its aftermath.
On July 12th two white police officers, John DeSimone and Vito Pontrelli, arrested an African-American cab driver, John Weerd Smith. After crowds observed Smith being dragged into a neighborhood police station, a rumor spread that he had died in police custody. Crowds gathered at the station in protest and stones were thrown. Mayor Hugh Addonizio initially released a statement minimizing the incident and local civil rights leaders attempted to intervene, but by July 13th more violence and looting erupted. Escalating violence and rumors of fire-bombings prompted Mayor Addonizio to request assistance from New Jersey Governor Richard Hughes, who called in the National Guard in the early morning hours of July 14th. By July 17th the violence had subsided and the National Guard departed.
During the six days of rioting, 26 people were killed -- most of them Black residents, more than were 700 injured, and property damage, primarily in the Central Ward, was estimated at between 10 and 15 million dollars. Gunfire was exchanged between police and civilians, and there was allegedly sniper activity by civilians targeting police and firefighters. National Guardsmen and police also did significant damage to the stores and property of African-American and other citizens.
In February of 1968, the Commission on Civil Disorder set up by Governor Hughes to investigate the riots/rebellion and events leading up to them cited a long list of social ills and frustrations in the community and called for sweeping social and governmental reforms to combat "a pervasive feeling of corruption" in Newark.
On July 12th two white police officers, John DeSimone and Vito Pontrelli, arrested an African-American cab driver, John Weerd Smith. After crowds observed Smith being dragged into a neighborhood police station, a rumor spread that he had died in police custody. Crowds gathered at the station in protest and stones were thrown. Mayor Hugh Addonizio initially released a statement minimizing the incident and local civil rights leaders attempted to intervene, but by July 13th more violence and looting erupted. Escalating violence and rumors of fire-bombings prompted Mayor Addonizio to request assistance from New Jersey Governor Richard Hughes, who called in the National Guard in the early morning hours of July 14th. By July 17th the violence had subsided and the National Guard departed.
During the six days of rioting, 26 people were killed -- most of them Black residents, more than were 700 injured, and property damage, primarily in the Central Ward, was estimated at between 10 and 15 million dollars. Gunfire was exchanged between police and civilians, and there was allegedly sniper activity by civilians targeting police and firefighters. National Guardsmen and police also did significant damage to the stores and property of African-American and other citizens.
In February of 1968, the Commission on Civil Disorder set up by Governor Hughes to investigate the riots/rebellion and events leading up to them cited a long list of social ills and frustrations in the community and called for sweeping social and governmental reforms to combat "a pervasive feeling of corruption" in Newark.
Collection Contents
The collection contains 15 oversize folders of newspaper and magazine articles on the riots/rebellion and their aftermath, 2 folders on reactions in Newark to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in April 1968 (including a large public meeting at Newark's Queen of Angels Church), and one folder of other materials. The clippings, arranged chronologically, are mostly from New York and Newark-area publications, but also include some national coverage. Publications represented include the Star-Ledger, the Newark Evening News, The New York Times, the (New York) Daily News, Time magazine, Life magazine, Newsweek, and the Catholic Advocate, a newspaper of the Archdiocese of Newark. With the exception of pages from Life magazine (Jul 28, 1967), the collection is made up of photocopies.
Folder 18 contains a mimeographed report headed "Riot Report - From Cross Counter, Inc." and dated July 18, 1967, written by Bill Iverson, Chaplain at the Essex County Youth House. The report, in the form of a letter, gives details of Iverson's experience on the streets during the disturbances, and requests funds for the community organization Cross Counter. Also in Folder 18 is the program for a church assembly marking the 20th anniversary of the riots/rebellion held on September 13, 1987 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark.
Folder 18 contains a mimeographed report headed "Riot Report - From Cross Counter, Inc." and dated July 18, 1967, written by Bill Iverson, Chaplain at the Essex County Youth House. The report, in the form of a letter, gives details of Iverson's experience on the streets during the disturbances, and requests funds for the community organization Cross Counter. Also in Folder 18 is the program for a church assembly marking the 20th anniversary of the riots/rebellion held on September 13, 1987 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark.
FormatTextual materials
SubjectsAfrican-American History / Civil Rights; Police / Crime / Law Enforcement; Religion / Churches
Time Period20th Century
LanguageEnglish
Access policyOpen for research
Finding AidYes