Photo Archive of Chaos and Tragedy in the 1965 Watts Riots, Los Angeles

Watts Riots

Photograph

This archive of three photos depict scenes from the Greater Los Angeles area during the 1965 Watts Riots. The event was sparked by police brutality during a street confrontation that formed during the arrest of a young black man for drunk driving. One photo taken aerially from a helicopter shows a commercial block in Watts razed by fire. Much of the neighborhood's commercial infrastructure was wiped out during the riots and never truly recovered. Another photo shows a grouping of black men outside of McCoy's Liquor near Watts as it is being looted. Looting was widespread and went on in open view for days during the riot. Finally, a macabre and affecting photo shows a black man lying prone after being shot in the head by National Guardsmen. The driver of the car he was in drove through a military roadblock, and was killed by the Guardsmen. He is still conscious when this photo was taken, but is bleeding heavily as a Guardsman administers first aid. The man was later taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. This man was one of the 34 who died in Watts, which saw over 1,000 injured, not to mention those incarcerated or further impoverished by the event. This archive is a moving record of this historic event. In very good condition.

Item #17647

Price: $385.00