Two Sources of Racial Conflict, Essay Example

Introduction

This paper explores two sources of racial conflict that occurred between 1964-1968; the period of Peristein’s book ‘Nixonland’.  These relate to the assassination of Martin Luther King reported in the New York Times and the Detroit Riots in 1967 reported in the UK Guardian Newspaper.

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr

The New York Times posted the obituary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, the famous civil rights campaigner. (New York Times, 1968).  The New York Times is one of the most widely read newspapers in the USA and as such offered important coverage of this historic event. In the 1960s, the most noted civil rights leader was the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King.  It was King who promoted a nonviolent approach to the civil rights movement; having spent time in India, with the followers of Gandhi.  He believed that dialogue was the most powerful weapon in order to end the oppression of the people in their struggle for freedom.  Dr. King compiled many leading academic works on the civil rights movement, but his most famous “I have a dream” speech inspired a nation.

The Detroit Riots of 1967

Reported in the UK Guardian newspaper in September 2011.  This was a reflective article on the Detroit riots that took place in 1967.  This was started by police brutality against celebrating black men who had returned from the Vietnam War.  The outpour of violence and protest resulted in full scale military intervention and this was considered unprecedented at the time. The racial tension resulted in 43 dead, 467 injured and over 7,200 arrests.  (Younge, G. 2011)

The Guardian article provides a detailed and graphic account of the events that took place during this period. The fact that this is a UK paper provides an international dimension into the review of racial tension in the United States during a period of the Civil Rights movement.  The actual riots themselves had been brewing for some time in Detroit and this was more about inequality, poor social living standards, unemployment and lack of adequate housing in the area.  The UK was seeking to point out comparisons to similar situations in UK Cities and warn of similar consequences for England.

References

New York Times. (1968, 4 5). Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. – Obituary. New York Times.

Younge, G. (2011, 9 5). The Detroit Riots of 1967 hold some lessons for the UK. Guardian UK.