On August 1, 1943, a race riot erupted in Harlem, New York City, following rising tensions between African Americans and the police. The riot was triggered by the arrest of a young African American soldier named Robert Bandy, who had been accused of not having a military pass. As rumors spread that he had been beaten by the police, a large crowd gathered, and tensions boiled over.

The situation escalated quickly, with stores being looted and buildings set on fire. The Harlem riot lasted for several days, and the National Guard had to be called in to restore order. The riot was fueled by long-standing grievances, including racial discrimination, police brutality, and poor living conditions in Harlem, which had been exacerbated by wartime economic pressures.

This incident was part of a larger wave of racial unrest in the U.S. during the 1940s, and it highlighted the deep-seated racial inequalities that African Americans faced. It also contributed to the growing civil rights movement, as it drew attention to the need for social and economic change for Black Americans.