Negros riot in Boston's Roxbury ghetto-section. Three nights of violence includes smashing, burning and looting of stores. Mobs throw rocks and bottles at police; a rooftop sniper wounds a fireman. An emergency meeting is called with Negro leaders. Alleged dissatisfaction with the welfare system in Boston has the recipients up in arms, they got together in front of an unidentified building protesting eventually leading to riots and destruction of businesses. MS - Lots of people traffic on the street's of Boston, fire truck with its fire hoses extended. MS - Two women walking pass a gutted liquor store, smiling. The business is in shambles. MS - A squad car patrolling and you see the aftermath as a result of the riot's, burned out liquor store. MS - Nighttime, a building engulfed in flames. MS - A silhouette of the fire truck and the flames shooting out of the burning building. Firemen fighting the flames of the building. MS - Police arrested a male protester and have taken him into custody. MS - Nighttime, street's are loaded with protesters, firemen and police.
Five days of rioting in a Negro section of Los Angeles have left behind scenes reminiscent of war-torn cities. More than a 100 square blocks were decimated by fire & by looters. Few buildings were left intact. As the National Guard moved in, 14,000 strong, fire damage alone is estimated at $200,000,000. No attempt has yet been made to arrive at the losses suffered in the hands of looters who stole everything from liquor to babies playpens. Approximately 3,600 arrests were made. Only the arrival of the National Guard brought about comparative calm to the devastated area. Watts riots. LS/TLS - burning stores & buildings in Watts, flames raging high & wide, black smoke filling the sky; day & night shots; Compton street corner sign in one shot, Los Angeles police watching fires burn in another shot; MS two white LAPD officers leading two handcuffed African-American men along street, past camera. TLS - National Guard patrolling streets, M-1 Garand rifles with affixed bayonets in hand. Tracking shots of smoldering, burned-down, destroyed businesses, stores, buildings in Watts, day; aftermath, extensive damage. Rear view LS National Guardsmen running down street. Nice tracking shot of private in the National Guard patrolling street with M-14A1 (M14A1) rifle with bipod attachment, passing rubble of ruined building, now essentially a vacant lot. Tracking shot ruined, burned-out businesses. Panning MS Sheriff squad car passing cam. MS LAPD officers getting off transport truck. TLS National Guardsmen behind barricade in street. MS LAPD officers talking at roadblock. Aerial shot of National Guard patrolling streets of Watts. Low angle TLS helicopter flying over, tilt down to patrol cars in parking lot.
LS/TLSs commercial buildings blazing, spewing fire & smoke into night following racial riots in Watts, Los Angeles, California, 1965. MS two white LAPD police officers leading two black men suspected of looting toward camera, night, buildings burning in BG. Traveling shots of buildings destroyed by fire, arson, looting; National Guard patrol streets during daytime. TLS National Guardsmen standing guard behind crude barricade in street.
MS Rev Dr MARTIN LUTHER KING JR speaking in Memphis, TN, April 3, 1968 (night before his assassination): "I just want to do God's will. And he s allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land." TLS/MSs Memphis police officers conducting investigation along balcony of Lorraine Motel in Memphis on the night of MLK's assassination. Nationwide riots following death of MLK: shaky (but good) panning TLS police squad car driving along city street, night; panning shot crowd passing broken shop windows, night; LS large fire burning from city bldg, night; LS/TLSs horse of police officers wearing gas masks, firing tear gas while patrolling streets, day (VO states this is Washington, DC but this cannot be verified). TLS Sen. ROBERT F. KENNEDY (D-NY) speaking to crowd in Indianapolis, Indiana, following MLK assassination, Aug 4 1968: "For those of you who are black & are tempted to be filled w/ hatred & distrust..." MSs widow CORETTA SCOTT KING and bereaved King family viewing open casket of Martin Luther King Jr during wake. H/a LS funeral procession of MLK through streets of Atlanta, GA, Apr 9, 1968; h/a TLS Robert Kennedy (RFK, Bobby Kennedy) marching in funeral parade, wife ETHEL KENNEDY (Ethel Skakel Kennedy) walking behind him; MS DWIGHT EISENHOWER (Ike, Dwight D. Eisenhower) and RICHARD NIXON (Tricky Dick, Richard M. Nixon) marching in funerary parade, basketball star WILT CHAMBERLAIN (it appears that Lola Falana walks to his right) marching behind them. H/a TLS mule-drawn funeral cortege.
Chicago, Illinois. MS crumbled wall to store, "Open Sundays," not anymore. MCU sign "Roosevelt & Spaulding No Right Turn." (Chicago, Illinois) crumbled buildings. MS National Guard armed & walking past the devastation, wreckage, some blacks follow. MS remnants burning. MS Army Jeep & Semi truck, track of Army Jeep passing wreckage. MS young black boys throwing stones/remnants of building.
Chicago, Illinois. TLS black people passing fallen building. MS/LA soldier standing guard, others pass by. MS soldiers standing guard along street intersection TLS army truck w/soldiers on regular street. MS/MCU black boys playing baseball. MS Army trucks, jeeps w/ soldiers passing camera. MS/pan "Chicago Temple, First Methodist Church," to Pablo Picasso's street red, rust colored sculpture, statue. (his dog) MS Chicago buildings, flags at half mast. TLS buildings around Washington Street. MS City & American flags.
Chicago, Illinois. MCU Picasso's sculpture. TLS/pan city buildings. MS flags. MCU/pan Wacker/ State street signs, "Chicago Sun-Time building in BG." MS soldiers patrolling under elevated train, near a restaurant. MCU/HA soldiers rifles have bayonets attached, black people pass by them, soldier with gun ready-looks scared, some soldiers black. (Woodlawn neighborhood).
Chicago, Illinois. MS rows of soldiers walking down the street- some are African American soldiers- to maintain order, soldiers look like they are unhappy, young black boy passes by staring intensely into the camera. (no actual riot footage has been seen yet- just post riot damage) MCU/pan sign "Dorchester & 63rd, " young black girls crossing the street, police officers to right. MS urban destruction. MS two black men standing against building. MCU black children. CU black Chicago police officer. MS two police officers & army soldier resting. MCU black police officer gladly talking w/two black women. MCU two police officers standing around, waiting for more rioting. MS police officers marching in column down street w/helmets on, paddy wagon follows behind.
Chicago, Illinois. MS/track down street, police officers keeping civilians, black people moving, prevent congregation, a black neighborhood. MS soldiers standing guard. MCU/pan photo of MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. through window to soldier on guard. MCU sign "Woodlawn: Urban Progress Center." MCU two black men. MCU/pan red movie marquee, "Joan Crawford in "Berserk," soldiers in fatigues.
Chicago, Illinois. CU army soldiers opening food cans. MS group of black people walking towards the camera. (first footage that could be riot related) MS fire trucks & blue police cars move in. TLS black men in hats on balcony, go inside. MS wall w/"Blackstone Prince Killer" spray painted on it.
Chicago, Illinois. TLS army camp. MS men & tents. MS/LA soldiers & jeep. MCU soldiers, rifle bayonet in FG. MS soldiers & camp.
Reel change - seems to be in Washington, DC. MCU street gutters littered. MS men shoveling trash into dumpster, garbage. MCU black man waiting in truck, clean up underway, department of sanitation cleaning up the streets, Safeway grocery store, people stealing groceries, black kid does dance, broken front windows, firemen in store.
Apparently Washington, DC. MS streets cluttered w/mess. MS firemen putting out fire, streets littered. MS police car arrives. CU fireman, tired, exhausted, shakes head, looks sad. MS broken front windows of Safeway store. TLS smoke rising from building. MS/pan American flag, buildings burning. (nice shot). TLS/HA firemen trying to put out fire in FG people watch. TLS smoke rising in distance. TLS/HA people watching fire from street corners. TLS/HA flag at half staff.
Apparently Washington, DC. TLS people standing outside of building. (looting?) TLS "Head Start sign/building. TLS black men in early evening light putting something in the trunk of a white car & walking away. LS/HA Army throwing tear gas at civilians walking away. MS army soldiers getting out of military vehicle, truck. MS tear gas pellet dispersing crowd, soldier runs up. MS soldiers go around corner, someone injured. MCU soldier opening can of something, (gas pellets?). CU soldier w/black rimmed glasses opening. MCU soldier on radio. CU sign, "Soul brothers, Black?). MCU/pan sign, "Peaceway Temple, Prophet Omega Townsend," fire trucks & smoking building. MCU restaurant window w/news clipping of MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MCU/zoom soldiers shoulder, rifle in hand, black men on street corner talking. MCU black men walking away from soldier.
Washington, DC. MCU white soldier standing guard. MCU shadows of soldiers & in window reflection. (too dark) MS police car drives by. MS/pan traffic light sign, "Florida ave," trucks w/soldiers passing by. MS soldiers war gas masks on passing burned out automobile, vehicle, car. MS soldiers w/gas masks passing camera, streets somewhat deserted. MS soldiers through windows of burned out car. TLS soldiers patrolling street. MS black woman past burned out car & camera. MS soldiers patrolling. smoke in BG. CU soldier red cross passes. MS jeep & "military police" pass camera. MS/pan destroyed building, one wall standing.
Washington, DC. TLS burning building, fire licks sky. MS building burning, sign, "7th & P Store." MS fire hose spraying building, church in BG. MS soldiers standing, walking, fire truck arrives. MS soldiers forming wall around firemen. TLS/pan burning building, firemen speaking. MS DCFD (DC FD, DC fire department) firemen w/ladder, go in through window. MS firemen talking, soldier standing in street of burning building. MS soldiers standing by black men, keeping them away. MS/MCU white soldiers passing camera. MS soldiers in street. TLS firemen putting out fire, cloud of smoke, building obscured. MS people watching from street corner. MCU firemen from hose. MCU fireman giving directions. MS/zoom soldiers standing guard & at intersection, firemen working in BG.
Washington, DC. MS/MCU soldiers guard. MS soldiers directing pedestrians where to go. MS street, cars passing. MS boy exiting through front window of store, woman slowly walking away. (looting?) MS black men being arrested for storing a ton of stolen groceries in the trunk of their cars. TLS DCFD firemen still working. (Audio continues, no picture, black diamond on blue BG)
Color. April, 1968. Washington DC. The riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Aerial of the Capitol Dome, smoke rising from burning buildings.
Color. April, 1968. Washington DC. The riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Aerial of a burning buildings on block in ghetto. Fireman working with hose, smoldering building in background. Fire truck driving on street. CU of an African American fireman. Panning fire truck, stop at two white police officers in riot gear detaining young African American man. Aerial of several city blocks, many burning buildings.
Color. April, 1968. Washington DC. The riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Group of young African Americans carrying looted goods on sidewalk. They take off running, covering their faces. Aerial burned-out building.
Graphic of map of the U.S. with grainy archival B&W shots of soldiers, rioters, cops, and firefighters from riots, the locations of major riots being pointed out: Watts 1965, Detroit 1967, Newark 1967. VO says that even after 1967, D.C. officials did not predict a riot in their city.
Color. April, 1968. Washington DC. The riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Aerial of burning buildings. Police and firefighters trying to stop a building from burning. Aerials of fire trucks on fire scene, burning buildings, heavy outpouring of smoke; TLS of Ladder Truck hosing water onto roof of a burning building; MSs of police officers in riot gear cocking their guns, patrolling streets.
Color. April, 1968. Washington DC. The riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Riot police on streets. National Guard boarding a truck, deploying, troop carriers pulling onto freeway. National Guardsmen in a jeep using 2-way radio near burning storefront. Guardsman in helmet, gas mask, with rifle and bayonet, walking by camera. Capitol Dome, tilt down to MS squad of National Guardsmen on patrol.
Color. April, 1968. Washington DC. The riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Smashed window of storefront, tilt down to mannequin on floor. Police officers in riot gear restraining a black teenager. Cops throwing a suspect into a paddy wagon. Wide avenue with towering smoke in distance, slew of Guardsmen directing traffic. Young Caucasian relief workers handing out bags of food and emergency supplies. African American male workers sweeping up glass and ash from sidewalks. Travelling shot of the destroyed commercial strip.
Color. April, 1968. Washington DC. The riots after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Volunteers unloading a milk shipment and relief supplies from a truck, into basement; MS of black residents, mostly women, picking through boxes of donated clothes.
Aerial of burning buildings in northeast Washington D.C. as a result of the riots following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Police working near riot scene. Firefighters putting out a fire; sirens wail in BG.
