My data on events fits pretty well with what I identified as the key feature of the Watts Riot and the label I applied to it in the first assignment. In the first assignment, I had difficulty in choosing just one dimension that defined the events of the Watts Rebellion. I pointed out that the asymmetry of the damage was primarily to African-American neighborhoods and the majority of people injured or killed were also Black. According the data on my Google sheet, the majority of the lootings took place in the Watts neighborhoods, specifically around Avalon Ave., Imperial and initiated around streets around the 40s but extended eventually to 120th St. There were one or two incidents on my graph that were outside of Watts in the Long Beach area. With a few exceptions noted on my google sheet, the injuries and deaths were to Black citizens and only a few to law enforcement including a few policeman and a firefighter.
I identified the incident as a rebellion because it originated from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and then manifests itself by the refusal to submit or to obey the authority responsible for the situation. My data showed that one incident – the pulling over of African American brothers for drunk driving by a white police officer in a black neighborhood – drew the attention of many citizens in the neighborhood who came out to witness the sitatuation. The one event on my graph led to multiple lootings, shootings, and burning and destruction of property that grew out of people in the neighborhood finding out about the incident and starting a rebellion for many miles.
My data also supports my assertion of key features of the riot being destruction and looting of mostly African-American owned businesses in the Watts area.
Knowing the details of individual events in the riot affirms my initial analysis of the key features and label. The massive geographic spread of the damage that began in Watts totalled 40 million and my data contains multiple examples of where properties inside and outside of the Watts area were looted and burned.
