My Mother, sister and I were staying with our Grandmother in Newark, NJ for two weeks in '67. The riots were just cranking up there at that point.
Memorial Day weekend is (Black) Biker Week in Myrtle Beach, SC. We picked that weekend one year soon after we got to NC to just go - spur of the moment. We got a room with little trouble, but the constant noise and manic activity drove us home after two days. I'm waiting to hear how it goes there this year.
The same crap started in Hartford Conn. but before they could"march peacefully" down Franklin ave. The Italian club there put out call to the Italian clubs all over the state and before they got even close to what was Little Italy there were a couple of thousand Italians on the streets and in windows and roofs lining Franlin ave.
When they got close to the beginning of the street the escorting police asked for us to let them pass and one little 75 year old gentleman told the cops to turn them around and get back to where they came from. The cops tried to turn them and they were insisting on marching through the same old man walked up to them and asked how bad they wanted it as he was looking at the roof tops lined with people,as they stood talking about it he told them once again that they were not going to so much as get 2 feet in which had the cops begging for calm and the old man said"why do I look nervous to you?"
All the young guys were screaming for them to come so we could end this once and for all time. We would never had moved without permission from the old Guy cause that would have been the ultimate affront to him and the price would have been hefty for that.
Bottom line they left barking and growling but they left without even a garbage can being overturned.They have never gone down Franklin ave. ever again. Screw them where they breath!