Watts

Welcomme to Watts.

Watts is a neighborhood in Los Angeles (California) located in South Los Angeles where many African Americans are originally from. This neighborhood is also known for many racial riots.

Riots of 1965 and 1992

The California Highway Patrol stopped a vehicle with three members of a black family in it leading to riots on August 11th 1965.

Its riots resulted in a total of 34 deaths, about 1,100 injuries, 4,000 arrests, 977 buildings destroyed or damaged, and 35 million of dollars in damage after five days of violence. There were 43 other riots across the country during 1966.

In 1991 Los Angeles police officers assaulted a black person when a local resident filmed the scene and had it broadcast. The police officers weren't convicted at the 1992 trial which led to the 1992 riots with the death of 38 people and 4,000 arrests. The police officers were tried again and sentenced to 30 months in prison.

The Watts Towers, created by Simon Rodia.

In the present day

This neighborhood is still one of the poorest and most dangerous in the United States and is dominated by gangs. However with the development of culture in this neighborhood there is a decrease in criminality.

In 1992 after the riots a dance studio was created and as the years went by, its studio became more popular with the creation of the Krump which was unveiled not only in the country but also in the world.

This neighborhood today, keeps an African American's population, but there are also many Hispanics.

Sources

Internal links

• Watts riots
• 1992 Los Angeles riots
• Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Police Department
• California Highway Patrol

External links

• fr Frédéric Martel, De la culture en Amérique, Paris, Gallimard, 2006.

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