Miami Riot of 1980
The Event Race riot
Date May 17-19, 1980
Place African American sections of Miami,
Florida
The Miami Riot of 1980 resulted in eighteen deaths and
over $80 million worth of property damage, making it the
most destructive U.S. race riot to occur between 1968 and
- In contrast to the rioters of the 1960’s, who had pri-
marily attacked buildings and looted shops, rioters in 1980
randomly attacked whites and Hispanics.
In 1980, about 37 percent of the African Americans
of Miami, Florida, lived below the poverty level. The
city’s African American unemployment rate was 17
percent, more than double that for whites. For two
decades, Latino immigrants (mostly Cubans) had
been taking over many of the jobs traditionally held
by African Americans in Miami. The influx of addi-
tional Cubans from the Mariel boatlift further in-
creased resentments. As was the case in many other
large U.S. cities, the relations between the African
American community and the police were frequently
confrontational, with most African Americans con-
vinced that the police practiced racial profiling and
abused African American citizens.
On the morning of December 17, 1979, a thirty-
three-year-old African American named Arthur
McDuffie was driving in Miami on his Kawasaki
motorcycle. Although he was a successful insurance
salesman and a former Marine, his license had
been suspended because of traffic violations. After
running a red light, he was pursued by several po-
lice officers in a high-speed chase that lasted eight
minutes. According to the official report, he crashed
his vehicle, tried to escape, and then forcibly re-
sisted arrest. McDuffie died as a result of the ensu-
ing struggle. Based on the nature of his injuries,
however, investigators concluded that his death was
the probable result of a brutal beating. Three of the
officers, in exchange for immunity, agreed to testify
that McDuffie had been noncombative and that a
police car intentionally drove over his motorcycle
in order to make his death appear accidental.
Four of the arresting officers were charged with
manslaughter, and one officer’s charge was later ele-
vated to second-degree murder. In addition, the
four officers, as well as two others, were charged with
fabricating physical evidence. Because of the emo-
tionally charged atmosphere in Miami, the trial was
moved to the more sympathetic venue of Tampa,
Florida. The lead prosecutor was county attorney
Janet Reno. Following a month-long trial, an all-
white jury on May 17, 1980, deliberated for less than
three hours and then acquitted the officers on all
counts.
The Uprising When news of the verdict reached
Miami, furious African Americans poured into the
streets. Within three hours, rocks and bottles were fly-
ing. The National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People (NAACP) announced a peaceful
protest assembly, but when no speaker showed up,
numerous persons left the assembly to join the unruly
crowds. By that evening, roving groups of young men
were indiscriminately torching buildings and looting
stores. The worst of the rioting took place in the Afri-
can Amerian enclave of Liberty City, but there was
also considerable property damage in the Overtown
and Black Grove sections of the city.
Dozens of rioters attacked whites and Hispanics
who happened to be driving through affected neigh-
borhoods. An uncertain number were dragged out
of their automobiles and beaten with bricks and
pieces of concrete. Several white motorists shot at Af-
rican Americans who approached their cars. Some
residents living near the riots erected armed barri-
cades. Witnesses reported that an armed white man
in a pickup randomly shot at the rioters, killing at
least one person.
Florida governor Bob Graham declared a curfew
and eventually ordered thirty-six hundred National
Guard troops into the city. By the time calm and or-
der were restored on May 19, about 120 persons had
been hospitalized and 18 were dead, including 8
white motorists and 10 black rioters. Of the 10, 7 riot-
ers were killed either by the police or the National
Guard, while 3 others were killed by white civilians. A
total of 855 persons were arrested, including 777
blacks, 43 whites, and 25 Hispanics.
Later Court Actions Prosecutors and courts gener-
ally showed leniency toward the rioters. About 85
percent of the defendants had their cases dismissed.
Only 135 of the defendants received criminal sen-
tences. Of these, 89 were given probation without
any felony appearing on their records, and 27 were
sentenced to time already served in jail (usually one
night). The only persons to serve additional time in
prison were the three found guilty of murder. Al-The Eighties in America Miami Riot of 1980 639