The riots began when the police arrested 26-year-old African-American Dolores Shannon at around 8pm on Sunday August 2, 1964.[1] Shannon was accused of being drunk and shouting in public,[1] and was arrested on a charge of being disorderly.[2] The arrest took place at the Lafayette Gardens residential area, and was witnessed by Arthur Mays, the older brother of Charles Mays, who would later become an Olympic athlete and politician.[2] Mays intervened on behalf of the arrested woman, and was himself arrested.[2] Following the arrests, a group of around 40 residents of the estate marched to the police station on Communipaw Avenue, demanding an end to police brutality.[3][2] After around 30 minutes, this demonstration dispersed, and the demonstrators returned home.[1]
- ^ a b c New York Times (August 3, 1964). "Negroes and Police Clash in Jersey City".
- ^ a b c d Gomez, John (April 24, 2017). "Woman's arrest led to uprising in Jersey City in 1964". Jersey Journal.
- ^ Flamm, Michael W. (2016). In the Heat of the Summer: The New York Riots of 1964 and the War on Crime. p. 236.