# Rodney riots

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{{Short description|1968 civil unrest in Kingston, Jamaica}}
{{About|the riots in Jamaica in 1968|the unrest also known as the "Rodney King Riots"|1992 Los Angeles riots}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
The '''Rodney riots''' were [riot](/source/riot)s and civil disturbances in [Kingston, Jamaica](/source/Kingston%2C_Jamaica) in October 1968.

The riots were sparked by the Jamaican government of [Hugh Shearer](/source/Hugh_Shearer) banning Guyanese university lecturer Dr. [Walter Rodney](/source/Walter_Rodney) from returning to his teaching position at the [University of the West Indies](/source/University_of_the_West_Indies). Rodney, a historian of Africa had been active in the [Black power](/source/Black_power) movement, and had been sharply critical of the [middle class](/source/middle_class) in many Caribbean countries. Rodney was an avowed [socialist](/source/socialist) who worked with the poor of Jamaica in an attempt to raise their political and cultural consciousness.

When Rodney attended a black writers' conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in October 1968 the government took the opportunity to ban him from returning, citing among other things trips to Cuba and the [USSR](/source/USSR) as justification.

On learning of the ban, students at UWI, Mona began a demonstration under the leadership of the Guild of Undergraduates, closing down the campus. They then proceeded to march first to the prime minister's residence, and then to the parliament building in [Kingston](/source/Kingston%2C_Jamaica). On the way many more demonstrators joined in, and eventually the disturbance became increasingly violent spreading across the city. Eventually, several people were killed and there were millions of dollars in property damages.

The riots were part of an emerging [black consciousness movement](/source/black_consciousness_movement) in the Caribbean, and helped inspire the 1970 [Black Power Revolution](/source/Black_Power_Revolution) in [Trinidad and Tobago](/source/Trinidad_and_Tobago).

==See also==
* [Protests of 1968](/source/Protests_of_1968)
* [Black Power Revolution](/source/Black_Power_Revolution)

==External links==
*{{cite journal
 |url=http://www.umes.edu/cms300uploadedFiles/AJCJS/VOL1.2.WEST%20FINAL.pdf
 |journal=African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies
 |ISSN=1554-3897 
 |volume=1 |issue=2 |date=November 2005 
 |title=WALTER RODNEY AND BLACK POWER: JAMAICAN INTELLIGENCE AND US DIPLOMACY
 |author=Michael O. West 
 |accessdate=2011-06-26}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041105060409/http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/%7Emarto/pbs/roberts.htm Walter Rodney and Heresy]

{{1968 protests}}

Category:Riots and civil disorder in Jamaica
Category:1968 riots
Category:1968 in Jamaica
Category:1968 protests
Category:October 1968 in North America
Category:Walter Rodney

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