A speech written by Reverend T.M. Booth, pastor of Newark’s St. John’s Methodist Church, that he presented at the National Conference on Black Power in Newark. The Black Power Conference began just days after the 1967 Newark Rebellion had come to a close and brought a wide array of national Civil Rights and Black Power leaders to Newark. — Credit: Newark Public Library
Excerpt from the Governor’s Select Commission on Civil Disorder regarding the influence of the Parker-Callaghan fight on the 1967 Newark rebellion. The excerpt includes testimony from Police Director Dominick Spina saying ‘The types of speeches that were made before the Planning Board and the Board of Education tell you, almost predict, that there is going to be blood running in the streets.’ — Credit: Report for Action: Governor’s Select Commission on Civil Disorder, State of New Jersey
Article from the Newark Evening News on May 24, 1967 covering the protests at a Board of Education meeting the previous night to appoint James Callaghan as Secretary of the Board of Education. The protests waged by some “300 civil rights advocates” who supported the appointment of Wilbur Parker, a highly qualified African American accountant, effectively blocked the appointment during the meeting. — Credit: Newark Evening News
Portrait of Wilbur Parker, who was the favorite of Newark’s African American community to replace Arnold Hess for the position of Secretary of the Board of Education. — Credit: Newark Public Library
Article from the Newark Evening News covering the conflict over Mayor Addonizio’s appointment of James Callaghan to the post of secretary to the Board of Education. Newark’s Black communities rallied against Addonizio’s appointment, favoring the appointment of Wilbur Parker, the first Black Certified Public Accountant in the state. — Credit: Newark Evening News
Pamphlet distributed by the League of Women’s Voters of Newark containing information and profiles on candidates for the 1954 Municipal Election. The 1954 elections were the first to be held under Newark’s new mayor and council form of government and resulted in the election of Newark’s first African American elected official, Irvine I. Turner. — Credit: Newark Public Library
Excerpt from a pamphlet distributed by the Church in Metropolis organization to summarize the findings of the Governor’s Select Commission on Civil Disorder. The pamphlet contains a compilation of newsclippings from the Newark Evening News related to the Commission’s Report and a summary of its recommendations. — Credit: Newark Public Library
Transcript of a WCBS radio interview with Dr. Kenneth Clark on July 16, 1967, in which he discusses his interpretations and analysis of the ongoing rebellions in Newark. In the interview, Dr. Clark says “as a psychologist, I would suggest the hypothesis that in some unconscious way, or maybe not so unconscious, incoherent, way the rioting people are saying, we want this destroyed… They’re saying, you know, it’s the only way that we’ll get change.” — Credit: Newark Public Library
Witness testimony of Earl Harris before the Governor’s Select Commission on Civil Disorders on December 8, 1967. In his testimony, Harris describes meeting with Mayor Addonizio on Thursday, July 13, the day after John Smith was arrested and beaten by Newark Police officers. At the meeting, Harris, George Richardson, Harry Wheeler, and Eulis “Honey” Ward discussed possible mayoral responses to the events of July 12 to avoid further violence. — Credit: Rutgers University Digital Legal Library Repository
Press release from the NAACP on July 22, 1967 with commentary from Roy Wilkins and details of the efforts of the organization to assist community members during the Newark rebellion. — Credit: Newark Public Library
