The 1966 Dayton race riot was the largest in the city's history and accelerated the economic decline of west Dayton for decades.
Key Facts
- Duration
- Approximately 24 hours
- Deaths
- 1
- Injured
- 30
- Arrested
- Over 100
- Property damage
- 250000 USD
- National Guard mobilized
- Arrived at approximately 3 p.m.
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Decades of racial discrimination and segregation left Dayton's African American population concentrated in the impoverished west side, enduring neglected schools and discriminatory city services. In the early morning of September 1, 1966, Lester Mitchell, an African American man, was killed in a drive-by shooting allegedly by a white assailant, igniting widespread anger.
Large-scale rioting erupted by 10 a.m. on September 1, 1966, primarily in west Dayton before spreading downtown. The mayor requested Ohio National Guard assistance, a curfew was enacted, and several hundred police attempted to blockade the area. The Guard arrived around 3 p.m., by which time much of the unrest had subsided, concluding within roughly 24 hours.
The riot left one dead, 30 injured, and over 100 arrested, with approximately $250,000 in property damage concentrated in African American-owned businesses. West Dayton entered prolonged economic decline as businesses closed or relocated. Further race riots followed in 1967 and 1968, white flight intensified, and as of 2016 Dayton remained among the most segregated major metropolitan areas in the United States.
Political Outcome
The Ohio National Guard restored order within 24 hours; a curfew was imposed and arrests made, but west Dayton suffered lasting economic and social decline.