The Watts Riots, also known as the Watts Rebellion, started on August 11, 1965, in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. The riots were sparked by the arrest of an African American motorist, Marquette Frye, and escalated due to tensions surrounding police brutality, racial inequality, and poor living conditions in the area. The violence continued for six days, and the National Guard was deployed on August 13 to restore order.

The toll from the rebellion was significant, with 34 people killed, over 1,000 injured, and nearly 4,000 arrested. The property damage was estimated at around $35 million. The Watts Riots highlighted the deep-seated racial and socio-economic issues facing African Americans in urban America during the 1960s, and it became a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.