The novel's third section occurs in the immediate aftermath of the Harlem riot of 1964. Whitehead carefully depicts the palpable fear and unease in the air, as people become fed up with the cruelty of systemic racism and wary of the possible threat of violence from their neighbors. Some historical context about the riot gives a clearer picture of what Whitehead is trying to capture.
In 1964, a series of massive riots broke out across New York City. This conflagration was kicked off by an instance of police brutality. On July 16, 1964, a local building superintendent named Patrick Lynch sprayed several Black schoolchildren with a hose, saying they were making too much noise on his property. They responded by throwing bottles and trash can lids at Lynch. Lynch went inside and was pursued by James Powell, a 15-year-old Black boy. As Powell left the building's vestibule, Thomas Gilligan, an off-duty New York City police officer, ran over to the scene and shot Powell three times. Gilligan later said that Powell was carrying a knife and that he acted in self-defense, but this claim was challenged by several witnesses. The murder occurred in full view of several of Powell's friends and multiple other witnesses.
Approximately 300 students from Powell's high school formed a rally after learning of his death. That night riots began and police officers were dispatched to break up the scene. The next morning, CORE (the Congress of Racial Equality) showed up at Powell's school and led a protest, demanding a civilian review board to make sure that the police were punished for the killing. The situation continued to escalate on the third day of riots and protests, with numerous reported counts of arrests, injuries, and property damage. Things began to die down on the fifth and sixth nights of the riots and the violence abated. The shooting ultimately set off six nights of rioting in Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant. Many protestors were harshly beaten by NYPD police officers. The rioting resulted in attacks on the NYPD as well as widespread looting and vandalism. The riots resulted in one casualty, 118 injuries, and 465 arrests.
