400000 * RACIAL VIOLENCE POTENTIAL IN THE SOUTH . 1. Atlanta, Georgia eo ee Birmingham, Alabama . Bogalusa, Louisiana . Dallas, Texas ... - Fort Lauderdale, Florid Houston, Texas-.°. . . Jackson, Mississippi . Louisville, Kentucky . Memphis, Tennessee . . Hiati, Florida oo oe Nashville, Tennessee . ‘Natchez, Mississippi e New Orleams, Louisiana . Richmond, Virginia .. - San Antonio, Texas ee e e @ oe ¢ @ @¢ @ © Me se @ ad , . + g a= @ e @ o @ e J e 6 e @ e ® 6 #@# @® © @ © @ © @ © ® @ © © »@ . 3 oe 2 e e @ e ® ® 2 & & @ e . e- & & e e ee @ e . e ® e e e . e e 8 e @ ® ,& @ e & 7 @ e @ 8 ® e e e 2 ® ® e e e . @ 8 e ; el o 80 © © @ » (9 © © @ @ © © 6 @ © © © © © © © @ © Bw a@ FUSION OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND "ANTIWAR MOVEMENTS .  Ageravating Tension oe ° a Creating Opposition to Viethan War, oe Union of Civil Rights and Peace Hovenents: > oe @ @ © @® © @ © @ © @ © » © @ a & CON) 49 49 49 50 S51 S1 51 53 54 55 55 56 57 57 57 59 59 59 . G0 * CO NE IDENTIAL ono seit ie oe & : 2 Wit ma bys ea bem om anh at tines sts edube assist GSAS ie bit
14000098 7 a ef ~ wy 7 This document is, in essence, an intelligence survey of this summer's sfacial violence potential in the ‘United States. Its contents were,derived from public sources, public officials, police officers, knowledgeable observers, and FBI sources. This document should not, however, ,be regarded as a report based. upon the results of any specific investigation conducted by the FBI. a 4 Ry oS, Fs: OP psi fat oy ere ed pst Nak BOE Ae oe a
! ; | So RUN PEA OVERVIEW | Continuing Racial Tension After three consecutive summers of racial © turbulence in the United States, there were hopes that the social, economic, and political gains achieved by the Negro in recent years might be alleviating racial unrest and strife, Civil rights legislation, antipoverty programs, and better police~community relations have brought a measure of improvement in the status and treatment of “Negroes, but discontent and frustration persist. "Race relations have deteriorated in a number of cities throughout the country during.the past year. a Seasonal Phenomerion com ae We are now in the midst. of ‘an éra of protracted racial conflict that haS produced a crisis in law enforce- po, ment. Along with the annual seasonal rise in summertime : _ erime, it is,painfully evident that racial turmoil has similarly become a summer phenomegon. The racial violence potential is especially high in hot weather in the Nation’s urban areas because large numbers of Negroes, living under crowded, depressed conditions in ghettos, take to the streets to escape the heat and seek relaxation and recreation. The situation is compounded by. the restiveness end alienation of large numbers of idle junior and senior high school students and other Negro youths. Because of the combustible temper of the times, an inconsequential incident can ignite a riotous situation in any city or town . in the country. . ; Another Riotous Summer The Spring of 1967 has already witnessed almost daily outbreaks of racial disorder somewhere in the country. All signs point toward recurrent racial convulsions through- out the country this summer-~more than likely on an even wider scale than in previous years~~marked by plundering, arson, destruction, and attacks on law enforcement officers, There is the added danger this year that the scenes of racial strife in large cities might spread from Negro Li wi yy > . oe ry wimet ete 4
14-00000 communities into white neighborhoods and that increased numbers of white people might resort to violence in an effort to counter Negro demonstrators or rioters. The | threat of racial violence hangs .heavy over every urban .. community in the land. In an atmosphere of ever~present ~ ‘tension, violence can strike anywhere at any time with “all the unpredictability, rapidity, and destructiveness of a tornado. «=|. | et ee Civil Rights Linked with Vietnam ,Host of the riots and disturbances of the past _ three years have been spontaneous eruptions of mob violence, triggered by some trivial incident and fueled py teen-age-’Negro youths and various. lawless and... irresponsible ghetto elements. . But incessant agitation: and propaganda on the part of communists and other subversives. and extremists ‘have definitely contributed to Negro unrest. and fomented Violence, In particular,._ ‘demagogues like Martin Luther King,, Stokely Carmichael, Floyd HcKissick, Cassius ,Clay,: and- Dick Gregory have fanned the fires of racial discord. and animosity. King . Abas now joined Carmichael,, HcKissick, and other civil rights extremists in embracing the communist tactic of linking the civil rights novement with the anti-Vietnan- _ war protest movement, claiming that United States ee ‘involvement in Vietnam is diverting attention from civil yights. King's exhortation to boycott the draft and refuse - to fight could lead eventually to dangerous displays of | civil disqbedience and near-seditious activities by Negroes and whites alike. Thus, the antiwar campaiga endorsed. — by King helps to promote communist aims and prograns in the United States and abroad. - £ - iii CONFIDE ae
14-0900 MORE RACIAL TROUBLE PREDICTED Ominous Warnings Each spring of the past few years has evoked. prognostications from Negro spokesmen and public officials in cities with substantial Negro populations to the effect. _ that the ensuing. summer months would see outbursts of. -racial violence. This spring the prophecies have been more ‘numerous and more ominous than ever, particularly those voiced by Negro leaders. — oe oo ne . _. 4 "Phe war in Vietnam has strengthened the. forces | of bigotry and reaction," declared Martin Luther King, President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)... “It has caused many young people to become disenchanted with our society. The failure to solve the ‘ problems of our cities will ofily exacerbate the situation, and give the extremists on Both sides a much more receptive audience. Polarization of the race question in the ~ United States won't merely mean outbreaks of violence. It -will mean outright race wars in ‘some of our cities." 4 ae - : At least ten cities acvoss the country were described by King as "powder kegs" which could expldde_ into racial violence this summer. Among those cities he. ‘Listed were New York City, Newark, Washington, Cleveland, Chicago, Los Angeles, and the Bay area of California, — including Oakland. oo, Dt _ ' Sporadic youth-led riots throughout the country . must be expected this summer and every summer for the next decade, Bruce Coles, Program Director for the Chicago Young Men's Christian Association, told the House Education Subcommittee. The continying tumult, according to Coles, can be traced to a conflict between the promises of an affluent society and society's limited ability to. spread that affluence around.. Unable to get jobs and rise out of the slums, the youngsters--mostly teen-age Negro boys--Simply "blame whitey and raise hell," he said. —