Synopsis
Fire This Time: The Watts Uprising and the 1960s by Gerald Horne is a meticulously researched historical analysis of the 1965 Watts Uprising in Los Angeles, offering a comprehensive exploration of its causes, events, and far-reaching consequences. Published in 1995, the book situates the uprising within the broader social, political, and economic contexts of the United States during the 1960s, while also connecting it to global dynamics such as the Cold War and anti-colonial liberation struggles. Horne, an eminent historian known for his work on race and politics, draws on hundreds of oral histories and extensive archival research to provide a nuanced account of an event that marked a turning point in the civil rights movement and American racial politics. The title, a nod to James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, underscores the explosive tensions that erupted in Watts and their lasting impact on the nation.
The book begins by setting the stage for the uprising, which was triggered in August 1965 by an incident of police brutality in the predominantly Black neighborhood of Watts. A routine traffic stop of a Black motorist escalated into a violent confrontation, igniting six days of intense unrest that left 34 people dead, thousands injured or arrested, and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage. Horne details how the uprising was not a spontaneous outburst but the culmination of decades of systemic issues, including racial segregation, economic marginalization, and persistent police misconduct. Racially biased housing policies confined Black residents to ghettos like Watts, where they faced exploitation by non-resident shopkeepers and a lack of access to quality education and social services. The Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) history of brutality, particularly against Black communities, served as a constant source of tension, with the 1965 incident acting as the spark that set the community ablaze. Horne vividly describes the chaos that ensued, with Black residents looting stores, burning buildings, and clashing with police and the National Guard, who responded with military-style force, transforming Watts into a war zone.
Horne argues that the Watts Uprising marked a significant shift in the civil rights movement, challenging the narrative of nonviolent protest that had dominated the South. The image of “rioting” Blacks in the West replaced the earlier portrayal of “meek and angelic” Southern protesters, putting the civil rights movement on the defensive. This shift fueled a white backlash that Horne ties directly to the election of Ronald Reagan as California’s governor in 1966, a political turning point that capitalized on fears of urban unrest and Black militancy. The book explores how the uprising gave rise to Black nationalism, with groups like the Black Panthers and the Nation of Islam gaining prominence in Watts and beyond, filling an ideological void left by the decline of interracial, class-based organizing. Horne connects this decline to the Red Scare and Cold War politics, which dismantled leftist movements that had previously challenged systemic racism and economic inequality. He also examines the roles of key figures like Reagan, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, Martin Luther King Jr., and Governor Edmund G. Brown, as well as organizations such as the NAACP and local gangs, illustrating their complex interplay in shaping the uprising’s trajectory and aftermath.
Beyond its immediate consequences, Horne situates the Watts Uprising within a broader historical and international context. He highlights how the Cold War influenced the dismantling of legalized segregation in the U.S., as the nation sought to project an image of democracy abroad, while also noting the uprising’s connections to global liberation struggles in places like Vietnam, China, and Africa. The book delves into the intersections of race, class, gender, and age in postwar Los Angeles, showing how these factors shaped the city’s social landscape and the uprising itself. For example, Horne discusses how Black women and youth played significant roles in the unrest, often overlooked in mainstream narratives. He also critiques the media’s portrayal of the uprising as “lawless” and “destructive,” arguing that it obscured the legitimate grievances of the Black community against economic exploitation and state violence.
While Fire This Time is praised for its depth and rigor, some reviewers note its dense, detail-oriented style, which may challenge casual readers but offers immense value to scholars and those seeking a thorough understanding of the uprising’s complexity. Horne’s leftist perspective is evident, particularly in his emphasis on the economic roots of racial injustice and his favorable view of Black nationalist movements like the Nation of Islam, though some firsthand accounts dispute the latter’s positive role during the unrest. Ultimately, the book argues that the Watts Uprising was a milestone that not only exposed the deep-seated inequalities in American society but also set the stage for the rise of both Black militancy and a conservative white backlash, with reverberations that continue to shape racial and economic dynamics into the 21st century. Horne’s work remains a critical resource for understanding the interplay of race, power, and resistance in one of America’s most turbulent periods.