Photos of the Day 7/13/17: 50 Years Later

Above: A child places flowers alongside the memorial during the service remembering the Newarkers killed during the uprising in 1967

NEWARK, N.J.: 50 years after the uprising in Newark, which has been referred to as the Newark Rebellion and the Newark Riots, over a hundred people gathered at the monument at the corner of Springfield Avenue and Hayes Street for a commemorative event sponsored by the People's Organization for Progress (POP). The commemoration included a march to the former 4th Precinct of the Newark Police Department (NPD) on 17th Avenue, now known as the 1st Precinct, which was at the center of protests 50 years ago. Attendees who spoke included POP Chairman Lawrence Hamm, Ryan Haygood of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, Junius Williams of Rutgers University-Newark, and Richard Cammarieri of the New Community Corporation. In addition, residents who lived through the events of July 1967, relatives of Newarkers like Eloise Spellman who lost their lives during that month, and James Smith, the brother of John Smith, whose arrest and treatment by the NPD at the 17th Avenue precinct was one of the causes of the protests, addressed attendees.

Hamm, who was growing up in a nearby Central Ward neighborhood in 1967, told attendees that he is pushing for the Newark Municipal Council to rename the area surrounding the monument as 'Rebellion Park'.

Above: Junius Williams speaks to attendees

Above: Lawrence Hamm leads attendees during the service

Above: Relatives of Eloise Spellman speak about her and the summer of 1967

Above: A photo of Eloise Spellman, who was one of over two dozen Newark residents killed during the events of July 1967

Above: Then and now: A participant in the march holds up a photo from the 1967 rebellion/riots along Springfield Avenue

Above: Participants in the march walk onto Springfield Avenue

Above: Attendees gather outside of the NPD precinct on 17th Avenue

Above: Television cameras along Springfield Avenue during the commemoration, with an abandoned building in the background

Above: Lawrence Hamm speaks outside of the precinct, as James Smith looks on

Above: The Newark Police Department closed streets for the march

Above: James Smith performs at the memorial at the conclusion of the commemoration

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