Diálogo

Volume 2 Number 1 Article 6

1997

Recollections: 1966 Division Street Riot

Mervin Méndez Center for Latino Research

Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo

Part of the Latin American Languages and Societies Commons

Recommended Citation Méndez, Mervin (1997) "Recollections: 1966 Division Street Riot," Diálogo: Vol. 2 : No. 1 , Article 6. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/dialogo/vol2/iss1/6

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Latino Research at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in Diálogo by an authorized editor of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DIALOGANDO Recollections The 1966 Division Street Riots

by Mervin Méndez destruction of property and the mis­ Center for Latino Research treatment of community residents by DePaul University the Chicago Police, this event also led to the formation of groups and Violence is initiated by those who organizations to address the con­ oppress, who exploit, who fail to rec­ cerns of the community in areas such ognize others as persons-not by as health, education, housing and those who are oppressed, exploited employment. and unrecognized. It is not the To commemorate the 31st anni­ unloved who initiate disaffection, versary of this important event in the but those who cannot love because history of Chicago’s Puerto Rican they love themselves. It is not the and Latino community, Diálogo set helpless, subject to terror, who initi­ out to interview members of the ate terror, but the violent, who with Puerto Rican community who were their power create the concrete situ­ eyewitnesses to the events of those ation which begets the “rejects of days and who also were active in the life”... community before and after the riots. —Paulo Freire The community members we inter­ Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 1970 viewed include Mirta Ramirez, who Business as usual, after rioting. at the time of the riots was a house­ June, 1966 On June 12, 1966 the first riot wife active in the issue of bilingual education and whose accomplish­ attributed to Puerto Ricans in United Angry crowds burned 3 squad cars, ments include establishing Aspira in States history occurred along the damaged 16 others, and smashed strip of Chicago’s Division Street. Chicago; Obed López, a Mexican more than 200 windows as they fought immigrant who has worked in the During the 1960’s a number of simi­ police with bricks, rocks, bottles, lar civil disturbances occurred in Puerto Rican community for over Molotov cocktails, and sporadic sniper thirty years; Fr. Donald Headly a communities of color throughout the gunfire. United States in response to the con­ non-Latino priest who headed the ditions of poverty, neglect and The disturbance started before Cardinal’s Committee for the Spanish Speaking; Professor José Acevedo, racism—most notably the Watts nightfall yesterday and fanned out who in 1966 was a seminarian and Riots of 1965 in Los Angeles and the from Damen Avenue and Division who has for the past twenty-five years riots along Chicago’s Madison Street. It was not snuffed out until just headed El Centro Para Recursos Avenue in 1967. According to an arti­ before daybreak. It was sparked by the shooting of Cruz Arcelis, 20, an ex-con­ Educativos at Northeastern Illinois cle entitled “16 Injured in Night- University; and Roberto Medina who vict, of 1265 N. Winchester Ave., by Long Street Fighting” which was in his teens at the time and later appeared in the June 13, 1966 issue Patrolman Thomas Munyon who was was among the first Latinos to of the now defunct Chicago trying to arrest him after breaking up become active in Chicago’s labor American: a fight. movement. More than 100 policemen were To many in the Puerto Rican com­ The story of the 1966 riots may be keeping a tight watch on the near munity, the 1966 Division Street Riot told in many ways, by many individu­ northwest side today after night-long represents a milestone in the history als, each bringing their perspective street fighting resulted in at least 16 of Puerto Ricans in Chicago. While and understanding of the community injuries and 36 arrests. initially the riot resulted in the into the discussion.

Diálogo/ 29 n keeping with our commitment They chased two people up an alley the conditions for people in the to present our readers with diverse and shot at them. That is what start­ Puerto Rican community to feel that forms of expression, we have ed the riot on Damen and Division, there was no other way to vent their I where police cars were turned over frustrations than by doing what they included on page 28 a transcript of the lyrics to a song written by Simón and burned. The police used exces­ did. Gómez inspired by the riot entitled sive force and people pushed back. “Los Motines de Chicago”. Like the Even worse, in the days that fol­ Donald Headly: ... One very visible Mexican corrido and African lowed, it was not just excessive force thing was police abuse, and a lack of American blues, Puerto Rican jíbaro but treating people like dirt, like we Latinos on the police force. The music often is an expression of real were not human beings, with total Cardinal’s Committee for the Spanish life stories and historical events. disrespect. The police didn’t know Speaking had several programs to Simón Gómez’s composition not only anything about the Puerto Rican get people ready for police exams. serves to document this event but community. At that time there were Latinos were just beginning to come also to express the sentiments of the only about, eight or ten Puerto Rican on to the force. Since there were no Puerto Rican community. Further, officers in the entire force. Latinos there, the abuse on the since Gómez lived in Puerto Rico at streets was awful. If you were a the time of the riot, this song pro­ Obed Lopez: In retrospect, Latino you would get stopped and vides evidence that the repercus­ I believe that the main cause of the searched. Some people had weird sions of the riots where also felt in riot was the invisibility of the Puerto looking cars because they just didn’t Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, as a Rican community within the city of have the money to buy something result of the Cold War mentality of Chicago. That is to say, the political that is much more decent, but I know the times, the FBI banned the song power structure at the city level and that people around here still get and purged it from record stores and then at the most local level totally stopped just because they drive a radio stations that dared to stock it. ignored the presence of the Puerto boat. Thanks to our good friends, Omar Rican community and their urgent and Obed López who had reprinted needs, and to me this was the main José Acevedo: Police brutality. the lyrics to the song in a 1971 issue cause. There was no interest on the There had been two instances before of the LADO newspaper, we now can part of the local alderman as was doc­ that, in the late 1950s—one on the exercise our first amendment right umented by, of all persons, Mike south side around 1956 or ’57 and to freedom of speech and include it Royko. Mike Royko was able to, in another near Chicago and Noble as part our telling of this historical some of his articles that he wrote around 1958 or ’59. The other factor event. after the riots, show how the alder­ would have been the high prices that men of the area would not even Unfortunately, our pages are too Puerto Ricans were paying mer­ attend some of the most important few to include more stories. It is our chants in the area. They were being activities of the Puerto Rican commu­ hope that the following will provide charged double for goods and maybe nity at that time. I believe that was our readers with a better under­ even more. the main problem. The Puerto Rican standing of this historical event and community was not being recognized stimulate discussions among our Roberto Medina: The riots hap­ at all by the local power structure. In readers about the history of pened because of some incident that my opinion, this was what created Chicago’s Puerto Rican community happened between the police and and how the events of June 1966 shaped this community. "... the main cause of the M ervin: What do you feel con­ tributed to the riot on Division street riot was the invisibility* of in 1966?

Mirta Ramirez: ...Our community the Puerto Rican community* had too many problems at that time, however the catalyst of the riot was within the city of Chicago.” the way the cops behaved during the parade downtown... and during the Puerto Rican Parade celebration... - Obed López

Diálogo/ 30 some individuals around the Humboldt Park area, but they were a reflection of the frustrations of the community in general. Housing dis­ crimination and police brutality were rampant at that time. If the police saw you in a car (I have my own personal experiences about this) they would pull you out and ask if you were a “wet back” because at that time everybody was a “wet back” ... They would just pull you out of your cars, totally violate your civil rights, search your car, hit you with their sticks, and just harass you. They would break into our social clubs and stop our activities for no reason whatsoever. It was an ongoing situation with the police— Priest appeals to mob to disperse and go home. June 14, 1966 we were not welcome in the city. It was impossible for any Hispanic close now.” And so everyone packed Club, scared to death because we or Puerto Rican at that time, even up and left. didn’t know what was going to hap­ with a college degree, to find a good We closed down and I went home. pen. And so that had been about job. You could always find a job in a On our way home we heard what was three o’clock in the morning, and all factory sweeping floors and working happening en El Programa del of the priests and the reverendos from in an assembly line. But when it Argentino Boricua. Carlos Agrelot, the other churches were there trying came to getting mainstream jobs, was his real name. My friend Lilia to think of what to do for the next you were not welcome, even if you and I went home and kept on listen­ day so that there wouldn’t be a repe­ were qualified. You got to remember ing to the radio to see what was hap­ tition. that the Civil Rights Act did not pening. The priests and reverendos wanted come into effect until 1964. So a lot The next day I had to go down­ to group on the street with their col­ of the laws that came under the act town for something and when I took lars on, hoping they could calm peo­ were not enforced at that time. the bus that day I saw all the damage ple down. Unfortunately, that night Employers were free to discrimi­ that had been done to the stores around five or six o’clock, the riot nate... along Division Street. On my way started again. My friend Noel was back my husband Teddy went to pick trying to direct traffic. The religious me up at the station on Division and M ervin: How did you participate leaders had asked the police to stay on the days of the riot? Ashland, and we stopped at the Boys away, instead they [the police] wore Club, where a lot of people had riot gear while they patrolled the begun to gather. I remember some­ park. Noel continued trying to direct Mirta Ramirez: We were at the body said, “Why doesn’t someone go traffic and finally stopped when the park (Humboldt Park) where we had and get coffee?” So Teddy and I went police closed off Division Street. set up little quioscos to make money to get coffee. When we came back for our organizations. While we were there were a lot people that weren’t Who was going to get through the there, selling our bacalaítos and there when we first went in. Then we mass of people? I mean, there were stuff, one of the parade organizers found out the rioting broke out again. wall to wall people, you just couldn’t came in and told us to shut down get through. You had to go through We went to take the kids home Western or somewhere else to avoid because there was a riot. Apparently and on my way I said, “Teddy we things cooled for a bit and then he that area. It was really closed down. have to go back.” And he said, “What Officially the police I guess closed it said, “OK, we’ll close at nine.” But for?” I did not have any idea what for, down but it had been closed down then he came back, that must have but there were Puerto Ricans there from before. It was a real chaotic situ­ been about seven, he came back and that’s where we belong. So we ation. It was hard keep a clear head. about eight and said, “No we have to came back and we went to the Boys

Diálogo/'31 Obed Lopez: Well, I came to the ters and went through the contained poured out. They were everywhere, area by late afternoon because I had section of the area and I was able to they had dogs, they had helmets and been with a friend and my brother hear people talk about the actions of they were beating the hell out of Omar at a cultural activity down­ police on that particular night such everybody on the street. I happened town. On the way back, we were as going after young people..., and to see one guy, supposedly a cop, fall bringing her to her place of resi­ breaking into the houses of people. on top of an old man that was walk­ dence which was on Hoyne and And that was basically what I did, ing on the street, hitting him and Division. As it turned out, we could become an observer, because I felt noticed this guy had a cross on his not get closer to Division and Hoyne that something would have to be helmet, he was some kind of chap­ because the riot already was in its done subsequently. lain. When I talked to him I knew he beginning stages and the area had was a Southerner. And I pulled him been curtained off by the police. Donald Headly: I’m not even sure off this old man, and he’s telling me, Somehow after going through all what day it was but I remember what “What are you doing?” I told him, this, I was able to get to the very happened. The first place I landed “Well get off him, you are wearing a center of the riot which at that point was on top of a police car, I think it cross and you are beating someone was right on the 2000 block of was on Division. I was standing on it up!” Division, between Hoyne and and people were ready to burn it. Everybody was doing things to And I was just pointing out to them Damen, where the crowd was express themselves in a time, I think, the fact that I knew this was a plot. accommodating and was growing by that they felt they had really been ‘There is something going on here the hour. I understood that I was wit­ offended. And they had been offend­ because the two guys that are telling nessing a social phenomenon. ed. This was a terrible offense to the you to burn this car are cops.” I knew By listening to people, I already Puerto Rican community. What hap­ them from the Monroe Street dis­ sensed the anger against the police. pened after that is that we went trict, I had been at St. Patrick’s for By listening to people I also heard through three days of this stuff. I had five years and I knew that they were people expressing their grievances. all of Los Hermanos de la Familia de policemen. I really think that stuff in And I felt that what I could do at that Dios with me on the streets, some of the community contributed to the particular point somehow was to find them were in jail... and I was meeting riots, but I also think that there was a way in which objective observers with people, everybody was meeting an ulterior motive on the part of could cut into the area to witness Mayor Daley. What I saw over the with different groups, at different what was taking place. I felt that was time of the riots... I was on top of the times. about the only thing that I could do car and when they finally decided to There was a meeting between the at that particular moment. It was burn it, I got off it. I was trying to mayor and the people he considered because of that, through some point out to them: “There is some­ the ones he could control in the friends I had in the civil rights move­ thing going on here that we don’t Puerto Rican community. Juan Díaz, ment and in the labor movement, I understand, just be careful and know (who became the director of the approached the SCLC, the Southern what you are doing. If you want to Spanish Action Committee) was Christian Leadership Coalition head­ burn, fine, let’s find out what’s going not included in this meeting. ed by Dr. Martin Luther King, to on.” When I got off the car, by that ...The voices were still going to come come and send observers so that at time, out of the gangways, police from the side streets and the alleys. least it could be documented what was taking place—there and then. And it was because of this that I met very soon with Rev. James Bevell, he “We didn’t kn ow how was on the staff of Dr. Martin Luther King. With his help, a number of many of us were here and observers came from SCLC. That was on the first day of the riots. all of a sudden, as a result Subsequently, on the other days, I of the riot, we find out decided that I wanted to continue observing what was taking place, we’re a good number.” and I simply became an active observer, yet I was able to attach myself to the press and to the minis­ - Mirta Ramírez

Didlogo/ 32 ...They were the people that eventu­ ally in different parts of the country, “There is something going became the organizers for the Latino community. They were very good on here because the two people. They weren't good because they were always...good in the con­ guys that are telling you to formist sense of always keeping the laws that other people put on top of burn this car are cops” them, they were good in the sense that they understood where they were going and how they were going - Donald Headley to get there. It was important at that time to have that. future and to help out people and needs of our community and keeping how to quiet this protest. There were the peace so that people would not José Acevedo: On Sunday I walked rumors that there were caravans of get hurt. back and forth with one of the cars coming from New York and priests in my parish, St. Bonafice. from Indiana of Puerto Ricans com­ M ervin: Was the community On Monday I walked with Los ing to the aid of fellow Puerto Ricans. changed as a result of the riot? Caballeros de San Juan and Los One of the things that was criticized Hermanos de la Familia de Dios in was that the media ran in the news, Mirta Ramirez: We didn’t know how the middle of the street to try to segments, one after another, saying many of us were here and all of a calm down the police. There were that there was protesting, rioting, sudden, as a result of the riot, we find six or eight cops across on Division and looting, but it was not an orga­ out we’re a good number. There Street. We walked towards them to nized thing in any way. It was just the weren’t three or four people, there try to stop them from provoking eruption from different people who were a whole lot of people. And as a bystanders with their guns and felt that Puerto Ricans were pushed community, I think, that was a call. At clubs. around and discriminated and taken advantage of for a long time. that point we became a community They continued on all the way to not just a collection of individuals. Division and California... The police We organized a march to City were pushing to have the people Roberto Medina: I participated in Hall, and as I understand, the mayor terms of trying to keep the peace- leave the park because of curfew. exclaimed that he didn’t know there talking with people, expressing my They were about to club some out­ were so many of us. And so we went opinion. But I was very conscious of spoken Puerto Rican and we stopped to City Hall and talked to the mayor the abuses that were going on. I was them, told them that they would be and raised our concerns and as a only about 18 years old at the time, making things worse, that we would result of that, the city established one but mind you, I was an activist since talk to this man, and his friends, and of the "War on Poverty” offices, as it the age of 13.1 was secretary treasur­ his group. The police held back. At was called at the time, on Division St. the time I was a seminarian and I er of the Puerto Rican Congress— and its first director, I recall, was Dr. was wearing my Roman collar and the youngest officer they had. I Samuel Betances. they showed some respect for the became an officer when I was about fact that there were some clergy 14 or 15 years old. So I was active Oh well, after that people got there. Father Don Headly, who was within the scope of everything that divided according to issues and inter­ then the director of the Cardinal's was happening around me. But I was ests. We formed committees of differ­ Committee for the Spanish Speaking, also very vocal... Some people ent kinds. I decided my thing was was also with a group of Los thought that it was a bunch of yahoos education and that’s where I strug­ Hermanos and Los Caballeros. After within the community, criminals that gled. It took us about a year before that cooled down and the police left, started the whole thing. That wasn't we got all of this together. we met at a house on Washtenaw. true. It had to do with everything There was Juan Díaz, from the that I have just articulated to you— Obed Lopez: Oh, definitely. I believe Spanish Action Committee, Mirta the frustrations that we as a commu­ that the riots were what gave birth to Ramirez, myself and some other peo­ nity were experiencing. So, I partici­ the political movement in this com­ ple, discussing what to do for the pated by trying to articulate the munity. Most politicians, especially

Diâlogo/ 33 our own politicians hardly ever men­ unhappiness of people, of the way in “Hey, don’t you know that you all live tion that. I think it’s two things, first which they were being treated in the life of the risen Christ?” That’s of all they themselves are somewhat Chicago. the basis of Christian life, then why ignorant of that particular period in Puerto Ricans became aware that the hell aren’t we living it. So when their community’s history. Number there were things that were wrong in the riots occurred, they exploded. two, they find it more convenient to the city, as it related to the Puerto You take the Young Lords, Juan pretend that it was they that gave Rican community especially. And the Díaz... they were not part of what I drive to the political movement with­ riots gave them a first sense of being was doing, but they were people who in this community. able to do something about it, if it had a voice and they were trying to Well, I think the total community was only throwing a stone, or break­ express that voice. There was harass­ saw, number one, the injustices or ing a window, or yelling at the police, ment and persecution and constant rather the whole community saw the those were political acts. infiltrations, and police spying outbursts against these injustices through the red squads. Well, who and all the people in the community Donald Headly: There were small can organize people in the communi­ became activated. I’m talking about groups being organized. You had the ty when you have other people telling just the regular people that became Young Lords at the time, you had lies about you? It was done from involved in the marches, the young pandillas [gangs] doing some very within the community, precisely to people that were part of organiza­ significant organizing work, you had create that kind of situation. People tions, everybody became involved in the Knights of St. John [Los trying to unify the community just activism and that was something that Caballeros de San Juan] at that time had no real opportunity to do that. would have never happened if the who had community organizations The division allowed for a commu­ riots hadn’t taken place, if the riots throughout the city. And then you nity that could partially be controlled hadn’t highlighted things that people had the Hermanos en la Familia de by that white power structure. There felt and experienced but couldn’t Dios who were constantly being were a million cameras any time any­ quite articulate. I think that the riots trained to adopt views toward[s] body had some kind of support for a were the first expression of the [the] Gospel, which is basically, group. You had Jorge Prieto going to jail, he’s one of the finest doctors in Capt. William Coesfeld of the Wood Street police district, who braved the mob our community. There were priests to talk to it’s leaders is identified by one of the leaders as, “Our friend”. in prison. Why? Precisely because we June 14, 1966 [the society] want to create division in this community, we don’t want actual leaders that can bring these people together, because that will give them the strength that the white community can’t control. Whether it is in the church [which] is very Irish, you know it doesn’t consider itself for what it actually is, multicultural. You have a government which considers itself to be very much in the hands of those who actually don’t live in the city. They live somewhere else. So, it’s all a matter of who controls whom. Unless people can get an excellent good voice and are con­ stantly challenged to be inclusive rather than exclusive, not to make walls, it’s not going to happen. It [the riots] partially worked. They got peo­ ple to be much more conscious of what was going on, but some people “Some people thought that it was a Roberto Medina: There were changes as a result of the riots. bunch of yahoos within the communi­ Through the committee that was organized by the mayor in response ty—criminals that started the whole to the riots, there were some issues thing. That wasn’t true. It had to do that were brought to the table that were negotiated. One of the biggest with... the frustrations that we were issues was that in order to become a police officer, you had to be six feet experiencing as a community. tall, have blond hair and blue eyes - Roberto Medina and an Irish name... Of course, other areas that they touched on were employment in government. There became frustrated. Like some of the also brought an awareness that we were also concerns about the situa­ young people that I knew at that time needed to find ways to deal with the tion with police brutality and there are all in jail. They are suffering 80 system and the administration. The was some dialogue open on that. The years of prison and they will never city began to try to open the doors result of that committee was that we live to get out of there because of to Puerto Ricans who wanted to started to name Hispanics to higher their association with the indepen­ become policemen. Then there was management offices within the police dence movement of Puerto Rico. the commission appointed by Mayor department. Daley that included Claudio Flores, The Puerto Rican people here in The local media did a lot of write­ Chicago have a right to a voice, to a Wilfredo Velez, the Puerto Rican Congress and some of the Caballeros ups in terms of the frustration that political and social life that makes de San Juan... After that, an urban we were going through. So, politi­ sense, for their own culture and help progress center was set up on cians being politicians see to it that it grow and deepen. They have a Division Street that a man by the they try to satisfy the community in right to their poetry, their own kind name of Manuel Toledo ran for a terms of what they need. Did we get of theology, their own way of looking while. The first person assigned to it everything that we deserved? No, at things and to create this situation was Samuel Betances who was there but we made some strides. It was a you need voices, people to talk and for about six months—this is gradual progression of benefits for the community... be heard and the power structures of before he became a professor at the city will listen to them. This Northeastern Illinois University. I think we let the general popula­ should be happening. After the riots, tion of the city of Chicago know that I think there was an opportunity to The riot was an initial solidarity experience for Puerto Ricans in we were here and were going to stay. have this happen a little better, but I That we we’re a significant group don’t know whether we were able to Chicago. When you have unity you can do community organization. that they had to reckon with. That we take advantage of all that. ‘Cause when you organize, you do so were going to be outspoken about from a position of strength and being our needs and issues that were of José Acevedo: One of the things concern to us. I think that we were that came out of the riot is that our united as one. And then... if you follow the principles of Sal Alinsky very helpful not just to ourselves but presence was felt in the City of to other minority communities, [community organizing], first you Chicago. The city called some com­ come together, then you identify the ’cause we were the ones that were in munity leaders together, including enemy and you always stay together, the forefront of the leadership, members of Los Hermanos and Los and then you begin to make your both politically and socially from Caballeros de San Juan, father Don plans for what your group wants. So it within the community of the City of Chicago. ■ Headly, Claudio Flores who [edited] was kind of an eruption that led to the Puerto Rican newspaper, El some community organizing and soli­ Puertorriqueño and some other indi­ darity within the Puerto Rican commu­ viduals to get together and do some­ nity. Because any Puerto Rican who thing to ameliorate things on saw the news, or heard the radio was Division Street hurt or felt united to his/her fellow We became more aware of our­ Puerto Ricans. There is now a Puerto selves as a people and wanting to Rican identity in Chicago as a result of come together as a community. It our claiming the Humboldt Park area.

Diálogo/ 35