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Great Wall Institute: The Process of the Great Wall of Los Angeles

Watts Rebellion

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On Wednesday, 11 August 1965, Marquette Frye, a 21-year-old black man, was arrested for drunk driving on the edge of Los Angeles’ Watts neighborhood. The ensuing struggle during his arrest sparked off 6 days of rioting, resulting in 34 deaths, over 1,000 injuries, nearly 4,000 arrests, and the destruction of property valued at $40 million. On 17 August 1965, Martin Luther King arrived in Los Angeles in the aftermath of the riots. His experiences over the next several days reinforced his growing conviction that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) should move north and lead a movement to address the growing problems facing black people in the nation’s urban areas. Frye had been drinking and was driving with his brother, Ronald, in the car, when the two were pulled over two blocks from their home. While Marquette was being arrested, Ronald retrieved their mother from her house. When Mrs. Frye saw her son being forcibly arrested, she fought with the arresting officers, tearing one officer’s shirt. An officer then struck Marquette’s head with his nightstick, and all three of the Fryes were arrested.
Drawing by Kim Martinez - I wanted to get you these ideas for the Watts section of course I have not put a lot of energy into a complete drawing but these will give you an idea of what I am thinking. #1 Historically is not accurate but I liked the visual of the cops surrounding them as they are being pulled out kind of hard to see but the figures on the left in the car is the woman trying to hold back the man as the cop pulls. #2 After they have all been pulled the two kneeling on the ground is painful and humiliating, but also has a praying feel to it. #3 The figure on the ground is the female, not sure if I like that, but could easily be changed to a male and she could be pulled out instead of the male, finally the last male is already out being carried away. I think they all have a temporal feel to them.