re: 50 yrs ago today riots in Baton Rouge caused Alabama vs LSU to have to be postponed a day

Bob lived in the old OLOL when it was actually on a lake next to the Governor's Mansion. His parents came every day and took him outside if the weather was good.
He was beaten by the Black Muslims until brain matter was exposed. Never functioned again and died in 2011.
The riot on North Boulevard is IMO one of the reasons that downtown BR died for many years. As a young high schooler, most of us were told to stay away from downtown after that day where previously we had often visited the theatres and other attractions. Definitely changed the visibility of a racially divided and mostly segregated city/parish.

I wasn’t around yet but my dad told me how tense of a time it was for everyone in BR. He went to Glen Oaks, which was integrated two years prior, and remembered race riots and fights breaking out all that week.

For those that don’t know, Glen Oaks is not in a great part of town haha

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There wasn’t a riot.


You sir are wrong!

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Pretty sure it was a mostly peaceful protest.

Now...if it was a bunch of whites being let into the Capitol and scuffing up the floors? Well...THAT'S a riot.

I wasn't around yet, but my dad was in the National Guard and was activated at that time.

Those were dark days. Fortunately government intervention healed the black family unit through wealth transfers and now it is thriving, the city is safe and looks better than ever, crime is low, government is efficient, the schools are excellent etc.

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The newsman was Bob Johnson. He was a vegetable for the rest of his life.

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I remember the day very well. It was my 18th birthday. It was indeed Bob Johnson who was beaten by the rioters with large rocks. In later years, I worked with his daughter, Lori Johnson.

A sad day that was indeed.

Yes, but that wouldn’t have allowed a major political party to consolidate power and control all our majority-black cities.

Remember it well. Student from North BR drove to LSU daily as a commuter. Went to Stienberg's downtown and bought a WW2 pistol (no registration required, I think). Didn't even know how to load the damn thing. Glad I never had to shoot it. It would've been probably been taken away to kill me. Still have it in a closet. May be worth something. Takes a special ammo no longer being made.

1972 Baton Rouge race riots

My wife was a teacher at McKinley Jr High. The high schoolers came in and trashed things. She locked her 7th graders in her room but they broke the glass out and got in. Threatened her with a broken bottle and pushed her desk up against the wall trapping her. They turned over desks and threatened to cut her hair off.. One of her 7th graders took the bottle away and they ran out.. she was not injured. The younger kids were scared. It was a riot.