workingclasshistory:

On this day, 8 October 1972, a race riot broke out involving sailors from USS Kitty Hawk in the Subic Bay naval base in the Philippines during the Vietnam war. Tensions were already high due to endemic racism within the navy, and the base area was segregated. That evening a Black sailor took to the stage at the enlisted officers club and spoke against the “white man’s war” and advocated “Black power”, and a white sailor threw a glass at his head. Fighting then broke out between Black and white sailors throughout the club and was disbanded by marines. Black sailors were then banned from the club. Tensions would escalate further in the coming days. Find out more about the anti-war movement within the navy here in our podcast: https://workingclasshistory.com/2018/08/06/e10-the-gi-resistance-in-vietnam-part-1/
Pictured: A protest against racism on the USS Constellation that year https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1229875493864265/?type=3