1982 Overtown riot

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

1982 Overtown riot
Part of race riots in Miami
DateDecember 28–30, 1982
(2 days)
Location
Overtown, Miami, Florida, United States
Caused byDeath of Nevell Johnson Jr. by police
Casualties
Death(s)1
Injuries26
Arrested43

The 1982 Overtown riot was a period of

African American man in the city's Overtown neighborhood by a Latino
police officer on December 28, leading to three days of disorder that resulted in one additional death, numerous injuries and arrests, and widespread property damage.

In the early 1980s, many

Miami City Commission, which included Miami Mayor Maurice Ferré
.

On December 28, 1982,

all-white jury in 1984. A later report issued by the MPD in 1985 stated that his use of deadly force
had been justified, but that he may have violated other police procedures during the shooting.

The riot was one in a wave to hit not only Miami, but many large metropolitan areas in the United States during the 1980s. Following this one, Miami experienced another period of civil unrest after Alvarez's acquittal in 1984 and a riot in 1989 over another shooting death of an African American man by a Hispanic police officer. Discussing the causes of these riots, some historians have noted the rapid demographic changes occurring in many urban areas during the time period and fears of increased economic competition from other ethnic groups as factors. Additionally, some have pointed to cuts in financing for government social programs that were designed to help underprivileged areas such as Overtown. The riots hurt Miami's reputation, as many shows and movies depicting the city during the 1980s showed it as a crime- and drug-ridden locale. By the early 2000s, the neighborhood still had widespread drug usage and an unemployment rate of about 50 percent.

Background

Overtown

Interstates 95 and 395 were constructed in Overtown in the 1960s.[1]

marijuana.[6] Concerning the African American community in Miami in the early 1980s, British journalist Andrew Neil of The Economist wrote, "Miami is not a good city in which to be black. Blacks, of course, have not fared well in any major American city. But their plight is particularly acute in Miami".[6]

Demographics of Miami

The second half of the 20th century saw a change in Miami's demographics due to a surge in immigration of

Hispanic Americans, including Mayor Maurice Ferré, and only one African American.[5] Additionally, of the 1,039 police officers of the Miami Police Department (MPD), only about 170 were black, while about 400 were Hispanic Americans.[5] These changes in demographics led to increased tensions between the African American and Latino communities in the city,[11] with some black civic leaders expressing concerns over losing economic resources to the Hispanic community and charged Hispanic police officers with being more likely to commit acts of police brutality against African Americans.[5]

1980 riots in Liberty City

Main article: 1980 Miami riots

On December 17, 1979,

motorcycle crash.[2] However, a later investigation revealed that McDuffie had been beaten to death by the police.[2] In March of the following year, four white police officers were charged with McDuffie's death and with attempting to falsify police reports, but on May 17, 1980, an all-white jury in Tampa, Florida, found them not guilty.[2] Following the verdict, rioting broke out in Liberty City,[2] just 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Overtown.[7][8] Due to the size of the civil disturbance, 3,600 members of the Florida Army National Guard were called in, and from May 17 to May 19, three white people were beaten to death, while law enforcement officers killed 11 African Americans.[12] In total, the riots resulted in 18 deaths, 1,100 arrests, and $804 million in property damage.[2] According to historian Sharon Wright Austin, the riots were "one of the most destructive" in Miami's history and the first of several to occur during the 1980s as a result of "some form of police abuse against an African American man".[2] The death of McDuffie and the accompanying riots were one of a handful of violent incidents involving police and black Miamians in the late 1970s and early 1980s.[9]

Death of Nevell Johnson Jr.

Following the shooting, Johnson was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital (pictured 2016),[13] where he died the following day.[14]

On December 28, 1982, at a little after 6:00 p.m.

critical condition, was quickly rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital,[13] where he laid in a coma for about 24 hours.[15] He died the next day, December 29, at 6:45 p.m.[14]

Following the shooting, there were conflicting reports on whether or not Johnson was armed.[5][15] Though a revolver was found on the ground next to Johnson's body, an article in The Washington Post published shortly after his death states that his family and friends said Johnson was unarmed,[5] and an article on the shooting in The Crisis states that some reports said that the weapon had been planted by police.[15] However, a cousin of Johnson's who was at the arcade at the time of the incident stated that Johnson had been armed during the police encounter.[15]

Course of the riot

After Johnson's shooting, a crowd of about 150 to 200 people gathered around the building, prompting the police to call in reinforcements to the scene.

City Manager Howard D. Gary, a black man, stated that the police had "acted professionally", while City Commissioner Miller Dawkins, who was also black, stated that the shooting would be given a "thorough, complete and unbiased investigation".[13] In total, 8 people were injured in the first night of rioting,[14] with 7, including 1 police officer, treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital.[13]

The following day, December 29, rioting resumed,

Police helicopters patrolled the neighborhood and dropped canisters of tear gas in an effort to disperse the crowds.[14] Officers worked 12-hour shifts performing patrols of the area, and while there were reports of crowds gathering in Liberty City, there was no evidence of them by the time law enforcement officials arrived.[14] In total, 13 people were treated for minor injuries suffered during the second night of rioting at local hospitals.[14] Rioting quieted down through the night, and at 11 p.m., City Manager Gary announced that Overtown was "secure and calm".[14]

On December 29, it was announced that the two officers involved in Johnson's shooting, as well as the one who had shot and killed someone on the first night of rioting, had been placed on

Florida Governor Bob Graham stated that, if requested, the state would provide Miami with additional support in the form of National Guardsmen or members of the Florida Highway Patrol.[14] Speaking about the riots while in Palm Springs, California, President Ronald Reagan stated, "I just don't think there is any room for that—violence in the streets".[14] While minor civil unrest continued sporadically into the following day, resulting in several more injuries and arrests, things began to calm down in the neighborhood.[5] By December 31, the restricted zone had been lifted, with people free to travel within the neighborhood and gas stations and liquor stores allowed to reopen.[5] Additionally, police coverage began to return to normal levels as "special field forces" that had been on patrol in the area were called off.[5] In total, the rioting lasted for three days,[21][12][11] from December 28 to 30.[17] In total, 1 person had died in the rioting and 26 sustained some form of injury.[6][22] Additionally, the police had arrested 43 individuals.[17][12]

Aftermath

Later events

The 1983 Orange Bowl was held just days after the riot at the Miami Orange Bowl (pictured 2006), near Overtown.[14]

Several days after the rioting, on January 1, 1983, the

high school band competition as part of pre-game festivities,[14] and a parade held the day of the game passed close by the previous restricted zone established just days prior.[6] However, due in part to the riot, the game saw a dip in ticket purchases compared to previous years.[6] That same month, Johnson's parents held a funeral for their son, and while the family opted against a planned march due to fears that it would lead to more violence, roughly 1,000 people attended his wake.[9]

Investigations, trial, and subsequent unrest

Following Johnson's death, the

civil case against Alvarez and the city of Miami.[20]

The trial lasted for several weeks, during which time Alvarez received financial assistance for his $86,000 in

riot gear making sweeps through black neighborhoods and arresting many, detaining some in horse trailers.[20] By March 17, about 20 businesses were reported as being looted, while 300 people were arrested in the Miami metropolitan area.[20] Additionally, 17 people were treated for minor injuries, including 4 police officers.[20] The 1984 unrest was considered much less violent than the 1982 event and far less destructive than the riots that followed the 1980 acquittal.[1][20] In the 1987 book Miami, author Joan Didion wrote of the 1984 events, "order was restored in Miami just after midnight on Saturday morning, which was applauded locally as progress, not even a riot".[23] Multiple sources note that Alvarez was acquitted by an all-white jury,[2][21][12][23] with Ray Fauntroy (president of the local Miami chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and brother of politician Walter Fauntroy) saying at the time, "People are tired of this, being shot down in the streets by white cops who are acquitted by white juries".[20]

On September 12, 1984, United States Attorney Stanley Marcus announced that Alvarez would not face charges of violating federal civil rights laws, saying that there was not enough evidence for a case against the police officer.[22] On July 23, 1985, the MPD released its final report on the shooting, stating that Alvarez was justified in his use of deadly force, but could face disciplinary action for other items related to the shooting, such as untruthfulness and leaving his post.[19] At the time, Alvarez was still on paid leave from the department and was seeking to regain his job.[19]

Analysis

Many historians view the 1982 riot, which was the city's most destructive since the 1980 riots,

political scientist Michael Jones-Correa stated in a 2001 book, "Given that in the 1980s many of the nation's major cities experienced rapid demographic transformations while government cutbacks left new immigrants and older residents in poorer areas of these cities vulnerable to economic restructuring and openly engaged in competition for scarce resources, it should not have come as a surprise that four of the top immigrant-receiving metropolitan areas [Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, and Washington, D.C.] were convulsed by serious civil disturbances by the early 1990s".[24] Jones-Correa further notes several riots in these areas that "involved a mix of recent immigrants and resident minorities", such as the 1982 riot in Overtown.[24] In 1989, Miami was the scene of another violent period of civil unrest following the death of a black man by a Hispanic police officer.[2][16][12]

The riots further damaged relations between the city's African American and Hispanic communities, with several black civic leaders arguing that the influx of immigrants from Latin America had shifted resources and attention away from issues facing the city's black community.

Reagan administration for cutting social programs aimed at helping communities such as Overtown.[6] The riots additionally hurt Miami's reputation in popular culture,[21] with several television shows and movies produced during the decade that depicted Miami as a violent, crime- and drug-ridden city, such as Miami Vice and Scarface.[16] As of the early 2000s, Overtown remained an economically depressed neighborhood, with the unemployment rate still at about 50 percent.[21]

See also

Notes

  1. pool hall",[13] and the term is repeated in a 2016 history book that discusses the riot.[16] However, several other sources refer to the establishment as an amusement arcade with arcade video games,[1][17] including the United Press International ("video game room" and "video arcade"),[8] The Washington Post ("video gameroom [sic]"),[5] and The Crisis ("video-game arcade").[15] Additionally, later reporting on the shooting by The New York Times refers to the establishments as a "video arcade".[18]
  2. ^ Sources vary regarding his age between 20[5][15][20] and 21.[17][13][14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Miller 2010, p. 579.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Austin 2018, p. 106.
  3. ^ a b Lowe 2016, p. 28.
  4. ^ Herman 2005, p. 148.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Cody 1982.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Cody 1983.
  7. ^ a b c d e United Press International 1982a.
  8. ^ a b c d e f United Press International 1982b.
  9. ^ a b c Moss 1983, p. 49.
  10. ^ Miller 2012, pp. 1100–1101.
  11. ^ a b c Teaford 2006, p. 231.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Gilje 1996, p. 172.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o The New York Times 1982, p. 8.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Speck 1982.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Moss 1983, p. 48.
  16. ^ a b c Shumow & Gutsche 2016, p. 102.
  17. ^ a b c d Perline & Goldschmidt 2004, p. 179.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Stuart 1984, p. 18.
  19. ^ a b c Associated Press 1985.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Atkinson 1984.
  21. ^ a b c d Miller 2012, p. 1101.
  22. ^ a b United Press International 1984, p. 28.
  23. ^ a b Didion 2006, p. 439.
  24. ^ a b c Jones-Correa 2001, p. 196.
  25. ^ a b Gilje 1996, pp. 172–173.

Sources

Further reading
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1982_Overtown_riot&oldid=1172406114"