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Thoughts on 1968
On April 4, Dr. King was assassinated.
On April 8, Kansas City Missouri exploded into riots.
When the race riots abated six days later, 5 people were dead.
20 were hospitalized, including two national guardsmen and a fireman. No police.
100 adults and 11 juveniles had been arrested.
(All stats from KC Star http://blogs.kansascity.com/crime_scene/files/Riots_page1.jpg)
My father was one of the over 600 national guardsmen called out.
He sent my mother and me to my grandparents'. Peculiar was a sundown town then, and no blacks meant no riots.
He spent the day hiding under a car because the Guard was (wisely) not issued bullets.
I've heard the above story since I was 15, without the statistics.
Until today, I had never made the connection between King and the riots of 68, that encompassed over 100 cities and lasted until April 14.
I grumble about people not knowing history. Sometimes my own ignorance bites my ass too.
On April 8, Kansas City Missouri exploded into riots.
When the race riots abated six days later, 5 people were dead.
20 were hospitalized, including two national guardsmen and a fireman. No police.
100 adults and 11 juveniles had been arrested.
(All stats from KC Star http://blogs.kansascity.com/crime_scene/files/Riots_page1.jpg)
My father was one of the over 600 national guardsmen called out.
He sent my mother and me to my grandparents'. Peculiar was a sundown town then, and no blacks meant no riots.
He spent the day hiding under a car because the Guard was (wisely) not issued bullets.
I've heard the above story since I was 15, without the statistics.
Until today, I had never made the connection between King and the riots of 68, that encompassed over 100 cities and lasted until April 14.
I grumble about people not knowing history. Sometimes my own ignorance bites my ass too.
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Lived there for 16 years.
Graduated from Raymore Peculiar High School.
http://www.cityofpeculiar.com/
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