Bill Text: CA ACR92 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: 50th Anniversary of the Watts Revolt.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 52-3)
Status: (Passed) 2015-09-21 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 188, Statutes of 2015. [ACR92 Detail]
Download: California-2015-ACR92-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: ACR 92 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
RESOLUTION CHAPTER 188
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 21, 2015
ADOPTED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 2, 2015
ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 20, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 20, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 13, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 2, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Gipson
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Burke, Holden, Jones-Sawyer, McCarty,
Ridley-Thomas, Thurmond, Weber, Achadjian, Alejo, Atkins, Bloom,
Bonilla, Bonta, Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chiu, Cooley, Cooper,
Dababneh, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo
Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Hadley, Roger
Hernández, Irwin, Levine, Lopez, Low, Medina, Mullin, Nazarian,
Obernolte, O'Donnell, Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Rodriguez, Salas,
Santiago, Mark Stone, Ting, Williams, and Wood)
(Coauthors: Senators Hall and Mitchell)
JUNE 25, 2015
Relative to the 50th Anniversary of the Watts Revolt.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 92, Gipson. 50th Anniversary of the Watts Revolt.
This measure would commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Watts
Revolt.
WHEREAS, Economic equality is a critical component of community
well-being and the maintenance of social peace; and
WHEREAS, In 1964, there were a total of 8 revolts across African
American communities in various cities, including Chicago, New York,
Philadelphia, and Jersey City, that occurred as a result of racial
tension and economic deprivation; and
WHEREAS, August 2015, will mark the 50th Anniversary of the Watts
Revolt (also known as the "Watts Rebellion"), which began on August
11, 1965, when Marquette Frye and his brother were stopped by police
on a suspicion of drunk driving, which resulted in a hostile
confrontation between the Frye family and police officers on the
scene; and
WHEREAS, The Watts Revolt was a reaction to a long history of
systemic racial and economic injustice, including frustration with
the passage of Proposition 14 of 1964 in California, which sought to
nullify the state's fair housing law; and
WHEREAS, This historic event, which took place in the greater
Watts neighborhoods of Los Angeles and the City of Compton, involved
six days of protest resulting in 34 deaths, 1,032 injuries, and over
$40 million worth of property damage; and
WHEREAS, Between 31,000 and 35,000 adults participated in the
revolt over the course of six days. At that time, it was the most
significant uprising in the history of the South Los Angeles region;
and
WHEREAS, The Watts Revolt is an important part of Los Angeles
history and it is critical that we mark the 50th anniversary of this
event appropriately; and
WHEREAS, The McCone Commission, Chaired by John McCone, was
established by Governor Edmund G. Brown to investigate the Watts
Revolt and identify solutions to ensure that this incident never
reoccurred; and
WHEREAS, The results of the investigation found that the Watts
Revolt was a result of discrimination in employment, education,
housing, healthcare, and law enforcement; and
WHEREAS, The aforementioned issues persist within these
communities today; and
WHEREAS, When discussing the topic of social unrest in America,
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "I would be the first to say that I
am still committed to militant, powerful, massive, nonviolence as
the most potent weapon... But it would be morally irresponsible of me
to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent,
intolerable conditions that exist in our society"; now, therefore, be
it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature commemorates the 50th
Anniversary of the Watts Revolt, one of the largest uprisings in 20th
century America; and be it further
Resolved, That the California Legislature urges the development of
public and private solutions to statewide and local disparities on
the basis of legal and institutional racism in areas, including, but
not limited to, education, employment, housing, healthcare, and law
enforcement; and be it further
Resolved, That the California Legislature pays tribute to the
establishment of institutions that sought to remedy the key
challenges in the South Los Angeles community, including the Watts
Labor Community Action Committee, California State University,
Dominguez Hills, Charles R. Drew Postgraduate Medical School
(currently Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science), the
Martin Luther King, Jr. General Hospital (currently the Martin Luther
King, Jr. Outpatient Center and Martin Luther King, Jr. Community
Hospital); and be it further
Resolved, That the California Legislature celebrates the
organization of local, peaceful actions to redirect community energy
in positive and constructive ways, including the development of the
Watts Summer Festival, Watts Summer Games, and Watts Christmas
Parade; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the
City of Los Angeles and the City of Compton, which are encouraged to
disseminate copies to local, community, and statewide organizations
throughout California; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
