Hammel Building

Historical marker location:

642 Main Street, Los Angeles, California

( Marker is on North Main Street south of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, on the right when traveling north.)

El Edificio Hammel.

In 1965, the Watts Riots erupted in Los Angeles after a police officer arrested a Black man for drunk driving. The six-day riot resulted in 34 deaths, over 1,000 injuries, and $40 million in property damage. The Watts Riots were a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement and helped to spark a nationwide conversation about race relations.