Alexandria Minarik

History 355
November 3rd, 2015
Professor Germany
Kerner Commission
During the mid- to late 60s the United States faced an era of race riots breaking out
across its nation. A multitude of power house cities across the United States, such as Newark,
Detroit, Atlanta and New Orleans we experiencing pressures rising centered on racial issues. It
was recognized that government action needed to be implemented. The issue of race was urged
to be addressed quickly, and most importantly effectively. During its recognition, government
officials wished to know the causes of these riots and what they could do in order to prevent
situations such as these to continue to happen in the future. Lyndon B. Johnson, president at the
time took initiative in 1967, by creating a commission consisting of 11 members to investigate
the roots. These investigations were put together as the National Advisory Commission on Civil
Disorders, otherwise known today as the Kerner Commission Report. This summary of events
collects various pieces of data from the major cities falling apart. When examining farther we
can see many of these cities experienced times of economic, social, and political strains which in
turn resulted in the neighborhoods having the race riots. In the case of Newark, New Jersey, the
tensions had a very profound impact to the riot scene. For many months in Newark, Negros
found themselves to be at the bottom. Unemployment rose, housing worsened and white
supremacy continued to dominate regardless of civil rights bills and acts previously being

passed. By scrutinizing Newark and the political, social, and economic conditions it faced, it
leads us to the causes of its race riots in the early to late 1960s. 1
During this time of mass civil disorders or riots as some call them, popular cities were
seeing an effect on their community socially, and in a sense communities were re-segregating
themselves. Newark especially experienced this, as between 1960 and 1967, the city lost a net
total of more than 70,000 white residents. 2 The idea of white flight definitely took off in these
areas, as we see the white population finding urban areas to settle down in, whether for racial
issues or to get away from the violence ensuing in the cities. Many black families were unable to
move into the urban areas due to high amounts of debt, or they did not have the funds to relocate.
Thus making the city dominantly Black. Race relations became a deeper issue as differing
nationalities not just plain old Black versus white emerged from the underground. Friction
between the Irish, Italians and Blacks added more fuel to the rioting fire. In Newark the police
were widely Italian, and the people they arrested were widely Negro. More and more Negros
during this time period were being incarcerated and from this we can assume that at times, the
police stereotyped and may have abused their responsibility as protectors of the community. 3 As
this idea circulated through the community, its residents were infuriated with what could be
categorized as police malpractice.
As weight continued to bear on the social aspect of society within the Black community,
it was also taking a toll out of the politics in Newark. What started as a slight trend of Negros
being excluded from normal operations in politics turned into an out-right exclusion. This led
1 Otto Kerner, Commissioner, Report of The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders,

(1968), 2.
2 Kerner, Report of The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, 30.
3 Kerner, Report of The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, 31.

many to become frustrated and opt in to becoming more involved in militant activism. In the
Kerner commission we observe an example of the strain between the White and Black
community when addressing political issues. Small size decisions such as replacing a board of
education member became big instances in the city. When it became known that the secretary of
the board of education intended to retire, the militants proposed the citys budget director, a
Negro with a Masters degree in accounting. However the mayor already nominated a white man
[with only a high school education].4 The issue of black and white became so strong that people
in power were willing to put community issues into jeopardy, including hiring an underqualified
candidate solely because his skin color was favored more. Honestly anyone in their right mind
would hire the more qualified applicant, however issues of race were taking over and all rational
decisions went out the window. From this, anger grew once again and the militant activism was
looking more and more like a valid option, however residents kept a hesitant mind and pushed
more for change through other means. Local authorities were contacted and informed of the
disparities within their community and promises of justice were given, but never received.
The Negro community was also facing economic issues that were not aiding in the wish
to become a part of regular society. The cost of every-day needs skyrocketed in the city
compared to the surrounding communities. Heath care and welfare costs were about twenty times
greater than its surrounding counter-parts. With costs going up, many families wanted to opt out
of the high taxes and prices and moved to the urban areas if they could afford it. Unfortunately
trends showed that Black families were more likely not to be able to move due to the financial
situations they were in. This allowed the whites to move away, and the blacks forced to stay
without any other option. As all this took Newark by storm, we see that its population was

4 Kerner, Report of The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, 31.

continuing to grow, almost doubling. Most of this population consisted of Blacks, who were
impoverished and unable to contribute to the property taxes. Of course we know that property
taxes are directly in relation to the education system and specifically public schools. Therefore
schools within the city were seeing less money coming through compared to schools being
operated outside in the urban neighborhoods, which were thriving. White families were able to
pay sufficient taxes and their students were finding themselves successfully graduating, while
schools within the city limits were unable to adequately educate its students. Schools struggle
with large numbers and few materials and consequently, the drop-out rate increased harshly. One
last part to add to the cycle of the system created in Newark is that as more and more children
were dropping out of schools, it had a direct correlation to the crime rates increasing. During the
7 year time span form 1960 until 196, as well as over 80 percent of the crimes were happening
with in a 2 mile radius of the center of the city. 5
By examining the Kerner Report, clearly the system was working against the Negro
community and it was hard not to fight back and stand up for a better life for themselves. While
tensions continues to build, the community only needed a time and place to set it off. July 12th,
1963 was that time and place. On this night, John smith a Negro cab driver was pulled over after
driving with a revoked license. As the police proceeded to get him out of the car, they dragged
him out viciously and pulled him onto the street in front of the police station. Many people
gathered around the scene, other cab drivers notified via radio and nearby civilians. As more and
more gathered the police took a more violent turn by beating the man even greater than they had
before. This was the right time and place. While no one would have guessed that John Smith
would set a riot into motion, the fact of the matter is, he indeed did. The community had seen

5 Kerner, Report of The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders 31

enough economic, social and political unfairness. There were enough people around to witness
what the police officer was doing, and action was going to be taken. The riot broke out during
the night, consisting of what is suspected as younger adults roaming the streets causing a ruckus
and looting local stores. In the Kerner report you can see that this is the common feature to the
riots across the United States- young kids taking action, and looting stores. Newark, much like
other towns became a home to mass hysteria. People were afraid of what was happening outside,
and any peep made would be taken as an act of rebellion until the situations were found to be
under control. 6
Riots like the ones we observed in the Kerner Commission are so unhealthy, and have
preventative measures that can be taken to avoid future problems. As this commission was being
formed, its ultimate goal was to figure out why and how race riots occurred across the United
States. The commission is a tool created in order to better American society, and make sure we
do not have problems like this in our time. Lyndon B. Johnson, the commissions creator left a
message for the readers at the beginning of the commission that I believe accurately embodies its
aims. for what has happened lies in an attackupon the conditions that breed despair and
violence. All of us know what those conditions are: ignorance, discrimination, slums, poverty,
disease etc.7 These specific conditions are ones that swarmed the city streets of Newark in the
med to late 1960s, directly causing the race riots. Riots do not take place to harm others, they
take place to inform others of harm that is already being done. In Newark, New Jersey, the Negro
population was damaged, and discouraged from becoming a part of society. It was actions of the
White population giving the Black population push-back on their progress that inevitably gave

6 Kerner, Report of The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders 32, 33.
7 Kerner, Report of The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, iii.

Blacks no other choice but to revolt for what was right. Since that specific riot in Newark, the
city itself has not seen any other occurrences that can be categorized as a civil disorder. Does this
mean that the commission is working and helping? Did Johnson truly achieve a decent and
orderly society in America that he hoped for?8 This thought is hard to decipher, maybe the area
just got better with time. In the bigger picture, there are still civil disorders sprouting out in the
United States today. Instances such as the Baltimore and Ferguson are disorders driven by
race that we can identify within the last two years of this generation. As race issues continue, we
see that it effects economic, social, and political aspects, and in the right combination it can be
enough fuel to start a fire in the streets.

8 Kerner, Report of The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, iii