[from the publisher] Between 1963 and
1972 America experienced over 750 urban revolts. Considered
collectively, they comprise what Peter Levy terms a 'Great Uprising'.
Levy examines these uprisings over the arc of the entire decade, in
various cities across America. He challenges both conservative and
liberal interpretations, emphasizing that these riots must be placed
within historical context to be properly understood. By focusing on
three specific cities as case studies - Cambridge and Baltimore,
Maryland, and York, Pennsylvania - Levy demonstrates the impact which
these uprisings had on millions of ordinary Americans. He shows how
conservatives profited politically by constructing a misleading
narrative of their causes, and also suggests that the riots did not
represent a sharp break or rupture from the civil rights movement.
Finally, Levy presents a cautionary tale by challenging us to
consider if the conditions that produced this 'Great Uprising' are
still predominant in American culture today.