Governmental Units Analysis Data, 1960: Urban Racial Disorders, 1961-1968

Documentation

GOVERNMENTAL UNITS ANALYSIS DATA, 1960:
URBAN RACIAL DISORDERS, 1961-1968

A User's Guide to the Machine Readable Data File

Principal Investigator
Seymour Spilerman
Department of Sociology
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin

Produced by
Seymour Spilerman
1970

1st DPLS ed. 1970

Documentation prepared By
Data and Program Library Service
1982

1st DPLS ed. 1982 and 1997

Distributed By
Data and Program Library Service
3308 Social Science Building
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
608-262-7962

Government units analysis data, 1960:
urban racial disorders, 1961-1968: a
file / prepared by the University of Wisconsin,
Data and Program Library Service. --
1st DPLS ed. 1982. -- Madison, WI.:
The Data and Program Library Service,
1982, 1997.
1v.

This is the descriptive documentation
to be used in conjunction with the machine-
readable data file of the same primary title,
prepared by principal investigator, Seymour Spilerman.

ISBN 0-89605-137-4

I.. University of Wisconsin. Data and Program Library
Service. II. Spilerman, Seymour

SUGGESTED BIBLIOGRAPHIC CITATION FOR THE MACHINE READABLE DATA FILE

Governmental Units Analysis Data, 1960: Urban Racial Disorders, 1961-1968 [machine readable data file]. Principal investigator, Seymour Spilerman. 1st DPLS ed. 1970. Madison, WI: Seymour Spilerman, University of Wisconsin, Department of Sociology [producer], 1970. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Data and Program Library Service [distributor], 1982,1997. 2 data files (676,676 logical records), plus accompanying documentation.

ISBN 0-89605-138-2

1982, 1997 The Data and Program Library Service, all rights reserved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cataloging-During-Production.................................................................................................................. 1

Abstract.................................................................................................................................................. 2

Acknowledgment of Donation.................................................................................................................. 3

Acknowledgment of Assistance................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction to the Codebook.................................................................................................................. 4

Codebook............................................................................................................................................... 7

Appendices:

Appendix A. List of 676 Cities................................................................................................................ 10

Available Only in Print Form From the DPLS:

Appendix B. "The Causes of Racial Disturbances: A Comparison of Alternative Explanations"

Appendix C. "The Causes of Racial Disturbances: Tests of An Explanation"

CATALOGING-DURING-PRODUCTION (MACHINE READABLE DATA FILE)

Governmental units analysis data, 1960 [machine-readable data file]: urban racial disorders, 1961-1968 / principal investigator, Seymour Spilerman. -- 1st DPLS ed. 1970. -- Madison, Wis.: S. Spilerman, University of Wisconsin, Department of Sociology [producer], 1970: University of Wisconsin, Data and Program Library Service [distributor], 1970. 2 data files (676, 676 logical records) + accompanying documentation.

SUMMARY: The Governmental units analysis data, 1960: urban racial disorders, 1961-1968 consists of individual riot and riot summary information for racial disorders which occurred between 1961 and 1968 in cities with a 1960 population exceeding 25,000. The data cover disorders with at least 30 participants, which displayed some violence or destruction of property and which were not focused upon institutional conflicts (disorders in schools or union halls, for example).

The data were coded for 1961-1966 from the Congressional Quarterly's "Civil Disorder Chronology", Special Report #36, 1967 and from the New York Times Index; for 1967 from Brandeis University Lemberg Center's unpublished tabulation of 1967 disorders (1968) and the report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (footnotes to Chapter II); and for 1968 from the Lemberg Center's Riot Data Review (Nos. 1-3) and for the last four months from the New York Times Index. ISBN 0-89605-138-2

I. Spilerman, Seymour. II. University of Wisconsin. Data and Program Library Service.

ABSTRACT

Unique Identification Number: JB-004-002-USA-DPLS-1960-1

Type of File: Numeric

Bibliographic Citation: Governmental Units Analysis Data, 1960: Urban Racial Disorders, 1961-1968 [machine readable data file]. Principal investigator, Seymour Spilerman. 1st DPLS ed. 1970. Madison, WI: Seymour Spilerman, University of Wisconsin, Department of Sociology [producer], 1970. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, Data and Program Library Service [distributor], 1970. 2 data files (676, 676 logical records), plus accompanying documentation.

Methodology: The data were coded for 1961-1966 from the Congressional Quarterly's "Civil Disorder Chronology", Special report #36, 1967 and from the New York Times Index; for 1967 from Brandeis University Lemberg Center's unpublished tabulation of 1967 disorders (1968) and the report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (footnotes to Chapter II); for 1968 from the Lemberg Center's Riot Data Review (Nos. 1-3); and for the last four months of 1968 from the New York Times Index..

Summary of Contents: The study consists of individual riot and riot summary information for civil disorders which occurred between 1961 and 1968 in cities with a 1960 population exceeding 25,000. The data cover disorders with at least 30 participants, which displayed some violence or destruction of property and which were not focused upon institutional conflicts (disorders in schools or union halls, for example). The disorders arose in a protest context (such as civil rights demonstration) or were spontaneous in origin. Up to 28 riots were coded for each city. Data for each individual riot include date, number of days of rioting and type of origin. The total number of riots and the number characterized by black aggression (broken down by year in the riot summary data) and are available for each city. Data are available for 674 cities.

Geographic Coverage: United States

Descriptors: riot, racial disorder, civil disorder, race, urban, violence, protest.

Technical Notes: The individual riot and riot summary data are in two files, each with a rectangular file format, 676 logical records and a record length of 80 characters. There are one or two records per city depending on the number of riots. The files are hardware and software independent.

Terms of Availability: There are no restrictions on access to the public use files. Copies of the data and documentation can be obtained from Data and Program Library Service, 3308 Social Science Bldg., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 USA (608-262-7962).

Cited References: Results from these data are reported in two papers by Seymour Spilerman: "The Causes of Racial Disturbances: A Comparison of Alternative Explanations" (American Sociological Review 35 (1970): 627-649) and "The Causes of Racial Disturbances: Tests of an Explanation" (American Sociological Review 36 (1971): 427-442).

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DONATION

This edition of the Governmental Units Analysis Data, 1960: Urban Racial Disorders, 1961-1968 study has been deposited at the Data and Program Library Service, University of Wisconsin-Madison for public distribution by Seymour Spilerman, Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ASSISTANCE

All manuscripts utilizing data made available through the Data and Program Library Service should acknowledge that fact as well as cite the title of the study as indicated on the title page and sample catalog statement and identify the original collector(s) of the data. All users of these data are urged to follow some adaptation of this statement with the parentheses indicating items to be completed or deleted appropriately by the individual analyst.

The data (and tabulations) utilized in this publication were made available (in part) by the Data and Program Library Service, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The data for the Governmental Units Analysis Data, 1960: Urban Racial Disorders, 1961-1968 study were prepared by principal investigator, Seymour Spilerman, Department of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nneither the principal investigator nor the Data and Program Library Service bear any responsibility for the analyses or interpretations presented here.

In order to provide funding agencies with essential information about the use of archival resources and to facilitate the exchange of information about DPLS participants' research activities, each user of these facilities is expected to send two copies of each completed manuscript, thesis abstract, or reprint to the Data and Program Library Service.

INTRODUCTION TO THE CODEBOOK

Governmental Units Analysis Data, 1960: Urban Racial Disorders, 1961-1968

By Seymour Spilerman

RE: Racial Disorder Data Decks Labeled:

Basic Riot Data (1-2 Cards per City)

Riot Summary Deck (1 Card per City)

These decks (files) cover outbreaks of racial disorders which occurred in American cities during 1961-68. Analyses using these data are reported in two papers by Seymour Spilerman -- "The Causes of Racial Disturbances: A Comparison of Alternative Explanations,"1 and "The Causes of Racial Disturbances: Tests of a Theory."2 The data have been coded from the following sources:

1. 1961-66: Congressional Quarterly's "Civil Disorder Chronology," Special Report #36, 19657; also from the New York Times Index.
2. 1967: Lemberg Center's unpublished tabulation of 1967 disorders (Brandeis University, 1968); also from the report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (footnotes to Chapter II).
3. 1968: Incidents during the first eight months are from Lemberg Center's Riot Data Review (Nos. 1-3); information on the last four months are from the New York Times Index.

The data in these decks cover all racial incidents (meeting the qualifications stated below) which occurred in incorporated American cities with 1960 populations exceeding 25,000. 673 cities are represented; three cities, in Alaska and Hawaii, are not included. City ID (columns 1-4) refers to the identification code assigned to cities by Professors Robert Alford and Michael Aiken3 and used in their data file (See Appendix A); that is, codes that were used with 1960 census data on cities.

Racial incidents were listed only if they appear from reports to have contained at least 30 participants, to have displayed some violence or destruction of property, and were not focused upon institutional conflicts (e.g. racial disorders in schools or in union halls were not coded). Incidents which were coded are classified according to the race of participants, and according to whether the disorder arose in a protest context (e.g. a civil rights demonstration) or was "spontaneous" in origin. Since the primary purpose in collecting the data was to study the distribution of spontaneous disorders characterized by Negro aggression, the data are most complete for this type of event.

There are 341 disorders of this character on the cards and perhaps 100 more of other types. The various lists of disorders which I have used report a total of 820 incidents, of all types and severities, for 1961-68.

1Spilerman, Seymour. "The Causes of Racial Disturbances: A Comparison of Alternative Explanations". American Sociological Review 35 (1970): 627-649.

2Spilerman, Seymour. "the Causes of Racial Disturbances: Tests of an Explanation". American Sociological Review 36 (1971): 427-442.

3Governmental Units Analysis Data, 1960

CODEBOOK

Basic Riot Data (1-2 cards per city)("Deck 109")

Riot Summary Deck (one card per city) ("Deck 108")

Go to Appendix A: List of 676 Cities

Return to main Civil Disorders archive page.

Email: disc@mailplus.wisc.edu