CLEVELAND — Cleveland Councilman Basheer Jones, alongside pastors and other community members, are meeting for a memorial on the anniversary of the Hough Riots that occurred in Cleveland in 1966.
Spanning from July 18 to July 24, the Hough Riots were an outbreak of civil disorder sparked when a white bar owner denied a glass of water to a Black customer. Angry protests, vandalism, looting and arson followed as residents joined in the unrest. During the riots, four people were killed, all of whom were Black. Two were bystanders and two were killed outside of the neighborhood.
Many were injured and nearly 300 people were arrested. During the riots, hundreds of fires were set and the neighborhood suffered million of dollars worth of property damage.
The memorial was planned to honor the lives of the four people killed during the riots as well as honor the Centennial Committee that has worked to rebuild the Hough neighborhood.
Guests heard from speakers telling the history of the Hough Riots and a prayer was said before a march from 79th Street to the Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center on Hough Avenue.
Watch video from the memorial below:
