Black Invisibility, the Press, and the Los Angeles Riot

Abstract

Previous survey research indicated the importance of "black invisibility" for understanding the Los Angeles riot of 1965 and black reactions to it. The extent and nature of this invisibility were explored by means of a content analysis of Los Angeles newspapers from 1892-1968. The results indicate that little attention has been given in the press to blacks throughout the twentieth century, and coverage of blacks relative to their proportion of the population actually diminished from 1892 to just before the riot. The great increase in coverage during the riot itself returned rapidly to the pre-riot level by early 1966. The white public in Los Angeles, local white public officials, and subsequent press coverage were largely unsympathetic to Negro grievances. While press attention to blacks has not increased, its content has changed markedly from coverage of conventionally stereotyped activity to emphasis on interracial conflict. Possible consequences of black invisibility for race relations in the United States are suggested.