Rochester remembers riots of summer of ’64

The summer of 1964 in Rochester was quite different than today.

Violence broke out on the streets, mainly in two wards, amidst allegations of police brutality during a routine arrest at a street dance party. Looting and clashes with police began July 24 and continued for three days until peace was restored after then-Gov. Nelson Rockefeller called out the New York National Guard.

By the time it ended, four people had died, more than 350 were injured, almost 1,000 arrested and 204 stores looted or damaged.

The three-day conflict that altered the course of history in Rochester is captured in “July ’64,” an hour-long documentary by ImageWordSound, directed by Carvin Elson, filmmaker and general manager of RCTV Media Center.

The film will be shown at 12:30 p.m. Thursday in the Central Jury Room on the first floor of the Hall of Justice, 99 Exchange St., followed by a discussion with Darryl Porter, who witnessed events 50 years ago when he was a youth leader.

The program is a collaboration between the Seventh Judicial District, the Rochester Black Bar Association and Unite Rochester.