By — Aisha Jama Aisha Jama Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/twitter-account-live-tweets-1965-watts-riots Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Twitter account live tweets 1965 Watts Riots Nation Aug 17, 2015 5:10 PM EDT Last night in a nutshell. #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/J2cLPK9HOz — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 In a week that marked the one-year anniversary of the killing of Michael Brown, a Twitter handle emerged to commemorate another painful moment in America’s history, the Watts Riots. On Aug. 11, 1965, the arrest a 21-year-old black motorist by a white California Highway Patrolman sparked an uprising that left 34 people dead and 1,000 injured. Six days later, on Aug. 17, the riots ended. The twitter account @wattsriots50 has been tweeting the events that occurred during that deadly week in South Los Angeles in real time, just fast forwarded 50 years. The account has been chronicling key moments by the hour that led to the massive casualties and 4,000 arrested over 6 days. The project was created by California Endowment’s Sons and Brothers in partnership with Community Coalition of South LA to provide context to the 1965 event through a medium that is accessible to everyone, especially younger people. Historical accounts by elders, photographs, newspapers and footage was provided by the Watts Library to accurately and realistically depict the events. The anniversary also happens to coincide with the one year anniversary of the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, inviting a comparison between the events. “We know the past is connected and the same questions asked 50 years ago are coming up today,” Evangeline Reyes, program officer with the California Endowment said. “In South LA, people of color are marked as threats, interactions with police can be frequent and dangerous.” The @wattsriots50 tweets nearly resemble the real time tweets that came out of twitter accounts associated with Ferguson and Baltimore. It was the arrest of black motorist Marquette Freye on suspicion of drunk driving by officer Lee W. Minikus that sparked the uprising that led to the riots. Some of the tweets from the account describing these events are included below: Heads up! @CHPsouthern pulled over some people on 116th & Avalon. #WattsRiots50 — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 Some action going on at this traffic stop. Sobriety test? Arrest. #WattsRiots50 — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 A lot of residents already out in the neighborhood tonight. Crowd is gathering to see what's going on. #WattsRiots50 — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 A patrol car just took a whole family to jail! @CHPSouthern officer said they were going to sheriff's station nearby. #WattsRiots50 — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 Everyone's on edge in Watts. Police, community, everyone. @latimes says 10+ ppl arrested last night #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/PSgtAcRztU — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Aisha Jama Aisha Jama
Last night in a nutshell. #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/J2cLPK9HOz — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 In a week that marked the one-year anniversary of the killing of Michael Brown, a Twitter handle emerged to commemorate another painful moment in America’s history, the Watts Riots. On Aug. 11, 1965, the arrest a 21-year-old black motorist by a white California Highway Patrolman sparked an uprising that left 34 people dead and 1,000 injured. Six days later, on Aug. 17, the riots ended. The twitter account @wattsriots50 has been tweeting the events that occurred during that deadly week in South Los Angeles in real time, just fast forwarded 50 years. The account has been chronicling key moments by the hour that led to the massive casualties and 4,000 arrested over 6 days. The project was created by California Endowment’s Sons and Brothers in partnership with Community Coalition of South LA to provide context to the 1965 event through a medium that is accessible to everyone, especially younger people. Historical accounts by elders, photographs, newspapers and footage was provided by the Watts Library to accurately and realistically depict the events. The anniversary also happens to coincide with the one year anniversary of the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, inviting a comparison between the events. “We know the past is connected and the same questions asked 50 years ago are coming up today,” Evangeline Reyes, program officer with the California Endowment said. “In South LA, people of color are marked as threats, interactions with police can be frequent and dangerous.” The @wattsriots50 tweets nearly resemble the real time tweets that came out of twitter accounts associated with Ferguson and Baltimore. It was the arrest of black motorist Marquette Freye on suspicion of drunk driving by officer Lee W. Minikus that sparked the uprising that led to the riots. Some of the tweets from the account describing these events are included below: Heads up! @CHPsouthern pulled over some people on 116th & Avalon. #WattsRiots50 — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 Some action going on at this traffic stop. Sobriety test? Arrest. #WattsRiots50 — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 A lot of residents already out in the neighborhood tonight. Crowd is gathering to see what's going on. #WattsRiots50 — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 A patrol car just took a whole family to jail! @CHPSouthern officer said they were going to sheriff's station nearby. #WattsRiots50 — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 Everyone's on edge in Watts. Police, community, everyone. @latimes says 10+ ppl arrested last night #WattsRiots50 pic.twitter.com/PSgtAcRztU — Watts Riots 50 (@WattsRiots50) August 12, 2015 We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now