Fragmentation and Black Power 1965-1975 · Spring Term

The Three-Day Week & Industrial Unrest

Students will analyze the causes and immediate aftermath of the 1970s industrial unrest, including the Three-Day Week, examining the challenges to government authority.

About This Topic

This topic analyses the causes and consequences of the urban uprisings that swept through Northern and Western US cities between 1965 and 1968, starting with the Watts Riot in Los Angeles. Students examine how the focus of the movement shifted from Southern de jure segregation to the de facto segregation, police brutality, and economic despair of the Northern ghettos. The 1968 Kerner Commission report, which famously warned that the US was moving toward 'two societies, one black, one white, separate and unequal', is a central document for this study.

At Year 13, students evaluate why the non-violent methods of the SCLC were less effective in Northern cities and how the riots contributed to a white 'backlash' and the rise of 'law and order' politics. They also consider the systemic issues of redlining and job loss that underpinned the unrest. This topic is best explored through collaborative investigations of the Kerner Commission's findings and by analysing the differing perspectives on the 'riots' vs. 'uprisings'.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: The Kerner Commission Report

Groups are assigned specific sections of the 1968 report (e.g., on housing, policing, or the media). They must summarise the Commission's findings on the 'root causes' of the unrest and present whether they think the government's response was adequate.

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

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Think-Pair-Share: Riot or Rebellion?

Students look at how different newspapers (Black-owned vs. white-owned) described the events in Watts or Detroit. They discuss in pairs how the choice of words like 'riot', 'uprising', or 'rebellion' reflects different political perspectives and affects public perception.

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

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Stations Rotation: The Geography of Discontent

Stations feature maps of 'redlining' in cities like Chicago and Detroit, alongside data on unemployment and police incidents. Students rotate to build a 'profile' of the conditions that led to the 1967 'Long Hot Summer'.

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The riots were just senseless violence by 'hoodlums'.

What to Teach Instead

The Kerner Commission found that the unrest was a response to systemic racial injustice, particularly police brutality and lack of economic opportunity. Peer discussion of the 'trigger events' helps students see the riots as a form of desperate political protest.

Common Misconception

The civil rights movement 'ended' with the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

What to Teach Instead

The movement actually entered a new, more complex phase focused on economic and social equality in the North. Using a timeline activity helps students see the continuity between the Southern and Northern struggles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused the Watts Riot in 1965?

The riot was sparked by a seemingly routine traffic stop of a Black motorist by white police officers, which escalated into a confrontation. However, the underlying causes were years of frustration over police brutality, poor housing, high unemployment, and the failure of the civil rights movement to improve the lives of Black people in Northern cities.

What did the Kerner Commission conclude?

The 1968 commission concluded that 'white racism' was the primary cause of the urban unrest. It warned that the nation was splitting into two separate and unequal societies and recommended massive federal investment in housing, education, and jobs to address the systemic inequality, though most of its suggestions were ignored by President Johnson.

How did the urban riots affect white public opinion?

The riots led to a significant 'white backlash'. Many white Americans who had supported the Southern movement for basic legal rights were alienated by the violence and the demands for economic redistribution, leading to increased support for 'law and order' candidates like Richard Nixon.

How can active learning help students understand the urban unrest of the 1960s?

Active learning, such as investigating the Kerner Commission report, helps students move beyond the 'spectacle' of the violence to understand the systemic causes. By analysing the language used to describe the events, students learn to identify bias and perspective. This approach helps them appreciate the complexity of the movement's shift to the North and the deep-seated nature of racial inequality.

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