Today in 1965, police officers arrest a drunk young Black man, his mother, and his brother, and are met with pent-up community distrust and anger. Reports and rumors ripple through the neighborhood of Watts in south LA, its people long suffering discrimination and police brutality. A restless crowd gathers at the scene. Police attempt to disperse them but get pelted by pieces of concrete ripped up from the sidewalk.

By the next night, a 46-square mile section of LA is likened to the Vietnam War by the chief of police. Over six days, more than 30,000 people take to the streets, some chanting “Burn, Baby, Burn!,” while over 16,000 police and over 14,000 National Guardsmen are mobilized. Violence and mayhem ensue, including arson and looting. The police arrest over 3400 and kill 34 people.