1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,239 Speaker 1: Hey, history enthusiasts, you get not one, but two events 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: in history today on with the show. Hello, Welcome to 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: this day in History class, where we flipped through the 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: book of history and bring you a new page every day. 5 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: The day was March nineteenth. Early in the afternoon, a 6 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: sixteen year old black Puerto Rican boy named Leno Rivera 7 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: was seen stealing a ten cent pocket knife from an S. H. 8 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: Crests and Company store in Harlem, New York. The owner 9 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: called the police and a crowd of people gathered at 10 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: the store. Rumors began spreading that the police had killed Rivera. 11 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: Soon what started as a minor shoplifting incident turned into 12 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: a full on riot, fueled by economic upheaval, frustration with 13 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: racial discrimination, unemployment, and distrust of the police. Leno was 14 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: in the back of the S. H. Crest Nicolin Dime 15 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: store at two fifty six West in Harlem. Leno was 16 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: spotted trying to steal a penknife from the store, so 17 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: employees tried to detain him, but Leno resisted. He grabbed 18 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: onto a column in the store and he bit the 19 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: hands of the two employees who were trying to hold 20 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: him back. Soon enough, though he gave in and stopped struggling. 21 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: By the time police officers arrived at the store, people 22 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 1: in the area had noticed the scuffle and began crowding 23 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: around the store. The shopkeeper decided not to press charges 24 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: against Leno and to avoid the crowd, the officers escorted 25 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: him out of the building through the basement and out 26 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: of a back door onto one street. But at this 27 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: point the crowd had become more hostile as rumors spread 28 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: that the officers had beaten Lino up, and that fire 29 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: was stoked even more when an ambulance arrived to see 30 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: to the employees bitten hands and her schedule to pick 31 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: up a body from the funeral parlor next door parked 32 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: in one of the stores parking spaces, the false word 33 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: of Leno's death spread through Harlem. Harlem was primarily black, 34 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: an African American culture thrived in the neighborhood. Though the 35 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:30,079 Speaker 1: Harlem Renaissance was nearing its end. Still, black people in 36 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: Harlem felt the effects of legal segregation, institutional racism, and 37 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: police brutality, and Harlem was largely neglected by the New 38 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: York City government. Distrust of the government and law enforcement 39 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 1: was rampant and justified at the time the country was 40 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 1: in the midst of the Great Depression. Harlem specifically was 41 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: plagued by rising poverty, as well as poor healthcare and education. 42 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: On top of that, black people faced racial dis emination 43 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: when it came to employment, business ownership, and housing, and 44 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: the Crest Store where the incident happened was known for 45 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:12,399 Speaker 1: discriminating against black people in employment. All of these factors 46 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: came to a head when Lena was rumored to be dead. 47 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: Police attempted to squash the rumors that Leno was beaten 48 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: and killed by officers, but were unsuccessful. The crowds turned rowdy. 49 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: The Crest Store closed for the day as throngs of 50 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: people began setting fire to buildings, smashing windows, and stealing 51 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: and destroying property. Some people who attempted to hold a 52 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 1: public meeting to protest police brutality were arrested and charged 53 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: with unlawful assembly. At one point, an officer fired a 54 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: gun into a crowd of rioters and shot a man, 55 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: who died a few days later in a hospital. Several 56 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: thousand people had joined the riot to protest police brutality. 57 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: Stores put up signs that said phrases like we employed 58 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: a black people in their windows to keep people from 59 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: looting and destroying their property. Officers who tried to disperse 60 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: the crowds only met resistance. The rioting went on through 61 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 1: the night and into the next day. All in all, 62 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,559 Speaker 1: more than a hundred people were arrested, dozens of people 63 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: were injured, a couple hundred businesses had damaged property, and 64 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 1: four people died from injuries sustained during the riot. Estimates 65 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: for the property damage totaled about two million dollars. The 66 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: next day, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia said the riot was instigated 67 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:42,799 Speaker 1: and artificially stimulated by a few irresponsible individuals. District Attorney 68 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 1: William C. Dodge said that he would launch an investigation 69 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: into the communist motivations for the riot, but LaGuardia was 70 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: convinced racial tensions caused the riots, and months later created 71 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: a biracial commission to investigate the riot and the factors 72 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: that led to it. The commission included people like sociologist E. 73 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: Franklin Fraser and writer Alan Locke. The report that came 74 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: out of that investigation was released a little over a 75 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: year later. It was called the Negro in Harlem, a 76 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: report on social and economic conditions responsible for the outbreak 77 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: of March nineteenth ninety and it recommended antidiscrimination efforts and employment, housing, education, 78 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: and law enforcement. Yet the mayor suppressed the report because 79 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: it revealed the true living conditions of black New Yorkers. 80 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 1: After the riots, the city did work to make some 81 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: social and infrastructure improvements. New York officers began receiving racial 82 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: sensitivity training, Harlem Hospital was enlarged, and there was a 83 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: push to get more black people in city government. But 84 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 1: discrimination did not just suddenly disappear in Harlem, and another 85 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 1: race riot broke out in the neighborhood in ninety three. 86 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,239 Speaker 1: I'm Eves Jeff Cote, and hopefully you know a little 87 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: more about history today than you did yesterday. And I'd 88 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: like to add that the riot marked a shift in 89 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: uprisings too. Sociologists Alan D. Grimshaw later called the nine 90 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: incident the first manifestation of a modern form of racial writing, 91 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 1: since it was directed at the whole community and its property, 92 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: rather than being a clash between certain racial groups or people. 93 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 1: If you have anything else interesting to say about the riot, 94 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: please leave us a note at T D i HC 95 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: Podcast on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Thank you so much 96 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,720 Speaker 1: for listening, and I hope to see you again tomorrow 97 00:06:48,000 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: for more tidbits of history. Hello his lovers, I'm Eves 98 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 1: and you're listening to This Day in History Class, a 99 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: show that uncovers history one day at a time. The 100 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: day was March ninety two. The cornerstone of the Sagrada 101 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: Familia of Roman Catholic Minor Basilica in Barcelona was laid, 102 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: more than a century after construction began. Work on the 103 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: Basilica is still not complete. In eighteen sixty six, bookshop 104 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: owner Joseph Maria Bocabelia founded the Spiritual Association of the 105 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: Devotees of Saint Joseph. On his way back to Spain 106 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: after visiting Rome, he discovered the Sanctuary of the Holy 107 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: House in Laredo. Bokabela was inspired by its design, and 108 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: he decided to build a similar church in Barcelona. So 109 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: the association began advocating for the construction of an expiatory 110 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: temple dedicated to the Holy Family. The Holy Family is 111 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: made up of the Christ Child, Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph. 112 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: The association received several donations, and in eighteen eighty one 113 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: it purchased land in Barcelona to build the temple on Initially, 114 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: architect Francisco de Pala de Viar was tasked with designing 115 00:08:20,200 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: the church. Though Bocabelia had an exact replica of the 116 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: Laredo Sanctuary in mind, R convinced him that a Neo 117 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: Gothic temple was the route to take. His plan was 118 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: to design a church with three knaves in a Latin 119 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: cross floor plan, a crypt, seven chapels, appointed bill tower 120 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: and outer buttresses. The cornerstone of the project was late 121 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: in eighteen eighty two. On March nineteenth, the feast day 122 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 1: of St. Joseph, construction began on the foundations for the crypt, 123 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:52,680 Speaker 1: but by eighteen eighty three, differences of opinion over the 124 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 1: construction of the Sagrada Familia led VR to step down 125 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,040 Speaker 1: from his role on the project. That year, Antony he 126 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: Go d was named the architect of the temple. He 127 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: was a young architect, but he set about making changes 128 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,079 Speaker 1: to the original plan. He made the vaults higher in 129 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 1: the crypt, made the windows bigger, and changed its central 130 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 1: staircase and entrance. The crypt was completed in eighteen eighty nine, 131 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: but God's plan revamped the design of the entire project. 132 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: Which would be more grand and all inspiring. It would 133 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: have a Latin cross floor plan with five naves, a transsept, 134 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 1: a cloister surrounding the building, and twelve bell towers. Work 135 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 1: began on the apps, which is a semi circular recess 136 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: within the building that's covered with a domed fault, and 137 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: in eighteen ninety two the foundations were laid for the 138 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: Nativity Facade. The portal of the Rosary, an entrance to 139 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: the Nativity cloister, was completed, and the provisional schools of 140 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: the Sagratta Familia for the children of workers and people 141 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:56,479 Speaker 1: in the neighborhood were built. God's work on the Expiratory 142 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: Temple of the Sagratta Familia dominated much of his career. 143 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: He came up with the final design for the naves 144 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: and roofs in nineteen three, and construction was completed on 145 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: the first bill tower on the Nativity Facade. God was 146 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: so dedicated to the project that he pretty much abandoned 147 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: all his other work and even lived next to his 148 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: workshop in his last months. He died in nineteen six 149 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: after being hit by a tram and was buried in 150 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: the crypt. But after God died construction on the Sagrada 151 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: Familia continued over the years. Construction on the Basilica has 152 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:36,440 Speaker 1: dealt with several setbacks, including fire and vandalism during the 153 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:40,199 Speaker 1: Spanish Civil War, and the design of the western passion 154 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: facade has been criticized by many people. The building is 155 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: projected to be completed by I'm Eve Jeffcote and hopefully 156 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: you know a little more about history today than you 157 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 1: did yesterday. If you're hungry for more history, you can 158 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at t d 159 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:04,319 Speaker 1: h C podcast. If you prefer something a little bit 160 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: more formal, then you can write us at this Day 161 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: at i heart media dot com. Thanks for tuning in 162 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: and we'll catch you tomorrow same place. For more podcasts 163 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: for my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, 164 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.