York Race Riots 1969
Basics. Murders. Trails. Mayor.
York Race Riots 1969 at a Glance
The York race riots were a distinct time of racial tension between 1968 - 1969. The civil war ended about one hundred years prior but the date marking the end of the war did not magically mark the date of the end of racism. The York riots, among many other events both historical and present, are proof that racism still exists. Lillie Belle Allen (a black young women from the south) and Henry Schaad (a white police officer) were the two victims of these riots.
Violent Beginnings
What Led Up to the Riots
The riots were believed to have started after black youths were in Penn Park in what police viewed as disorderly assembly on July 11, 1968. A rock was bounced off a police car and escalated to the point where an officer fired a shot into the air. This day was the spark of many days of violence between police and black youth. Another cause would be the claim that a twelve-year-old black boy made, stating that a white gang had doused him with gasoline. This claim turned out to be false and the truth was the child was playing with a lighter and burned himself. So, this started a problems between blacks and white gangs.
Trails for Justice
Justice for Allen and Schaad were allowed to be put on hold for about 30 years after their murders. Once the cases were opened 30 years later, it became what's known today as the race riot trails. The trails were composed of the question of an unfit mayor to see the communities needs such as its face in poverty and poor social and economic conditions, and also the unfinished/unsolved cases of course.
Henry Schaad was shot on July 18 and Lillie Belle Allen was shot three days after on July 21. Schaad was shot while patrolling in one of the cities armored trucks. Allen was shot after offering to take the wheel and getting of the car. Everyone knew who was involved in her murder but people were either scared to speak up, or just thought that everything was even. “One black had been killed and one white - even,” said Mayor Robertson.
Mayors Involvement
Robertson was elected and re elected mayor in the 1990s. Before becoming mayor he was a police officer and became associated with Allen's death in court proceedings. There were charges against ten other white men who were all involved in gangs at the time. Robertson was the only person to claim innocence. Two witnesses said they saw Robertson give ammunition to members. One confessed to using the rifle ammunition to fire at Allen and the other says he was told to “kill as many niggers as you can” by the mayor. Robertson also confessed to shouting “white power” the night before her murder. He was later acquitted of charges and had been given a set $50,000 bail. Through all he was accused of and backlash he took, he still refused to resign which angered many blacks of york and minorities made up about 40% of the town's population of 41,000 at the time.