95:
were being raised in the city. He knew what the arts could mean to those young people.” During those years, Wonder also was urging lawmakers to honor the memory of the late Martin Luther King Jr. by establishing a national holiday in King’s name. He knew that high-profile concerts in
Washington would help that cause. Other entertainers were Lionel Richie and the Commodores along with Sly and the Family Stone.
146:
As a result, the Park Police urged the officials not to repeat the event in 1975. The police were overruled by the organizers, with the support of the press. After the concert, violence erupted in the Mall. The local news media reversed their approval of Human
Kindness Day and it was never held again.
145:
The performers on stage could have understandably missed many of the quick robberies that occurred over the whole of the Mall area in 1974. A victim reporting the incident to the Park Police on the next day was told they there had been many more robberies than reported, including attacks on tourists.
136:
Nearby the concerts were groups acting in opposition to the Human
Kindness Day ideal. At the 1973 concert, journalist John Sherwood noted, "But at Lafayette Square, across from the White House, the American Nazi party departed from the "Human Kindness" theme to sing "Happy Birthday" to Adolf Hitler."
94:
as the honoree and headlining act, and was attended by approximately 125,000 people. “One of the motivations for Stevie was a political one,” one of the organizers, Carol
Kirkendall, told the Washington Post, “He was motivated to change the world and to fight the injustices of how young black people
40:
The month-long celebration opened with art and writing contests involving the school system (grades 7-12), focusing on the meaning of Human
Kindness. On Human Kindness Day, there was a prayer breakfast, a run through the city, award ceremonies for student winners of the art and writing contests, and
64:
drew 25,000 people and included many performers in addition to
Roberta Flack: Archie Stewart, Bill Seigman, Donal Leace, Mr. Rhythm, Frank Bullard, Drop of Blue, Lorraine Rudolph, the New Generation, Zulu Nation, the Colmanaires, the Mighty Wonders, Calvert Crusaders, Flying Nesbits, Capitol Ballet
141:
airline office and the
Mexican Chancelry in Washington, DC, and, as the concert started, telephone calls to the Washington Monument threatened another bombing there. An anti-Castro Cuban group claimed responsibility, and Cubans were protesting nearby at the meetings of the Organization of American
132:
said, "Human
Kindness Day was a counterpoint to everything that's bad, to the ugliness in this country. To me the day was incredibly beautiful. All the reports of violence were blown out of proportion, when you look at the whole day. And have people forgotten Altamont and Woodstock? What was said
23:
in late spring from 1972 to 1975 to celebrate local artists and national performers "who have added to humanity and national community togetherness." It was the culmination of a month-long celebration organized by
Compared to What? Inc. (a non-profit that helped meet community needs that could be
127:
arrested only 32 people. One contributing factor in the violence is that the event organizers had arranged non-interference with law enforcement, promising to self-police with 800 volunteer marshals, of whom only 262 were working the event. After her concert in 1974,
263:
479:
489:
484:
83:. Along with Nina Simone, the Pointer Sisters, Herbie Hancock, New Birth, Darren Greene, Sir Joe, and the Free Souls performed for a crowd of 55,000 people.
24:
exposed and addressed through the arts), along with the
National Park Service and DC Recreation. Human Kindness Day took place within the context of the new
308:
425:
244:
499:
107:
reported 24 arrests for robbery and assault. In 1975, nearby the concert, the National Park Service recorded 500 incidents of robbery.
474:
291:
325:
29:
179:
28:, which shifted the District of Columbia from Congressional rule to democracy with an elected mayor, Council, and small-scale
281:
25:
409:
Hornblower, Margot (May 13, 1975). "Kindness Day Left Police 'Ill': Park Policeman Left 'Ill' By Kindness Day Assaults".
41:
an afternoon concert by the year's honoree joined by other national and local artists at the Washington Monument on the
333:
120:
72:, and the concert -- which included Rare Funk Ghetto, Staple Singers, Fat City, and Sea Train -- drew 35,000.
494:
115:
109:
119:
noted that 150 people were hospitalized, including one who lost an eye. Amidst the violence, the
379:
Kelly, Brian (11 May 1975). "Police braced for more in wake of bombs at Soviet, Mexican sites".
287:
53:
20:
337:
103:
The media has focused on crime and violence at the 1974 and 1975 concerts. In 1974, the
468:
91:
87:
61:
49:
42:
69:
65:
Company, Ebony Impromptu Company, 3rd World Revolution, and Wayne Davis Company.
129:
124:
80:
459:
454:
137:
Earlier in the morning before the 1975 concert, bombs exploded at the Soviet
56:, had taught music in the DC Public Schools, sang in DC jazz clubs, and was
138:
264:"Meet the hippie and the beatnik who orchestrated D.C. aural history"
349:
Trescott, Jacqueline (23 May 1974). "Simone: Slowing Down at Last".
193:"Tomorrow in Washington: Roberta Flack to sing at Sylvan Theater".
223:
Trescott, Jacqueline (8 May 1974). "Hustling for Human Kindness".
48:
The first Human Kindness Day was held in 1972 to honor the singer
163:
Trescott, Jacqueline (22 March 1974). "Celebrating Creativity".
364:
Sherwood, John (22 April 1973). "A Perfect Day for a Rally".
208:
Sherwood, John (22 April 1973). "A Perfect Day for a Rally".
133:
about Human Kindness Day was all vicious...it was vicious."
180:"Remembering 'Human Kindness Day' and Other Local Miracles"
238:
236:
234:
113:
noted that some 600 people were injured and 211 robbed.
60:
s #1 female vocalist of 1971. The 1972 concert on the
460:
Video "Human Kindness Day in Washington, DC (1975)"
455:
Video "Human Kindness Day in Washington, DC (1974)"
283:Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics (1994)
243:— Jenny Pike, Silver Spring (4 September 2011).
142:States against its recognition of Fidel Castro.
8:
480:Riots and civil disorder in Washington, D.C.
86:The 1975 Human Kindness Day was held on the
76:called it "A summer-like day of delight."
426:"1975 Human Kindness Day's cruel violence"
245:"1975 Human Kindness Day's cruel violence"
326:"The day kindness got lost in the crowd"
490:Recurring events disestablished in 1975
485:1972 establishments in Washington, D.C.
155:
52:, who had graduated from Washington's
178:McNeir, D. Kevin (21 February 2018).
7:
307:Alan M. Schlein (21 January 1982).
14:
30:Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
424:Pike, Jenny (4 September 2011).
262:Richards, Chris (31 July 2015).
26:District of Columbia home rule
1:
500:Concerts in the United States
394:"Unit Says it Placed Bombs".
19:was a day of events held in
516:
182:. The Washington Informer.
475:1975 in Washington, D.C.
79:The 1974 event honored
68:The 1973 event honored
99:Media Representations
336:20 May 2018 at the
309:"COMPARED TO WHAT?"
268:The Washington Post
121:Metropolitan Police
116:The Chicago Tribune
110:The Washington Post
58:Downbeat Magazine'
17:Human Kindness Day
54:Howard University
507:
442:
441:
439:
437:
432:. No. Daily
421:
415:
414:
406:
400:
399:
391:
385:
384:
376:
370:
369:
361:
355:
354:
346:
340:
323:
317:
316:
304:
298:
297:
278:
272:
271:
259:
253:
252:
240:
229:
228:
220:
214:
213:
205:
199:
198:
197:. 21 April 1972.
190:
184:
183:
175:
169:
168:
160:
74:The Evening Star
21:Washington, D.C.
515:
514:
510:
509:
508:
506:
505:
504:
465:
464:
451:
446:
445:
435:
433:
430:Washington Post
423:
422:
418:
411:Washington Post
408:
407:
403:
398:. May 12, 1975.
393:
392:
388:
378:
377:
373:
363:
362:
358:
348:
347:
343:
338:Wayback Machine
332:, 16 May 1975.
330:Chicago Tribune
324:
320:
313:Washington Post
306:
305:
301:
294:
280:
279:
275:
261:
260:
256:
249:Washington Post
242:
241:
232:
222:
221:
217:
207:
206:
202:
192:
191:
187:
177:
176:
172:
162:
161:
157:
152:
105:Washington Post
101:
38:
12:
11:
5:
513:
511:
503:
502:
497:
492:
487:
482:
477:
467:
466:
463:
462:
457:
450:
449:External links
447:
444:
443:
416:
413:. No. A1.
401:
386:
371:
356:
341:
318:
299:
292:
273:
254:
230:
215:
200:
185:
170:
154:
153:
151:
148:
100:
97:
37:
34:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
512:
501:
498:
496:
493:
491:
488:
486:
483:
481:
478:
476:
473:
472:
470:
461:
458:
456:
453:
452:
448:
431:
427:
420:
417:
412:
405:
402:
397:
390:
387:
382:
375:
372:
367:
360:
357:
352:
345:
342:
339:
335:
331:
327:
322:
319:
314:
310:
303:
300:
295:
293:9780788128547
289:
285:
284:
277:
274:
269:
265:
258:
255:
250:
246:
239:
237:
235:
231:
226:
219:
216:
211:
204:
201:
196:
189:
186:
181:
174:
171:
166:
159:
156:
149:
147:
143:
140:
134:
131:
126:
122:
118:
117:
112:
111:
106:
98:
96:
93:
92:Stevie Wonder
89:
88:National Mall
84:
82:
77:
75:
71:
66:
63:
62:National Mall
59:
55:
51:
50:Roberta Flack
46:
44:
43:National Mall
35:
33:
31:
27:
22:
18:
434:. Retrieved
429:
419:
410:
404:
396:Evening Star
395:
389:
381:Evening Star
380:
374:
366:Evening Star
365:
359:
351:Evening Star
350:
344:
329:
321:
312:
302:
282:
276:
267:
257:
248:
225:Evening Star
224:
218:
210:Evening Star
209:
203:
195:Evening Star
194:
188:
173:
165:Evening Star
164:
158:
144:
135:
114:
108:
104:
102:
85:
78:
73:
70:Dick Gregory
67:
57:
47:
39:
16:
15:
130:Nina Simone
125:Park Police
81:Nina Simone
495:1975 riots
469:Categories
150:References
36:Activities
436:22 March
334:Archived
139:Aeroflot
90:, with
290:
438:2021
288:ISBN
123:and
45:.
471::
428:.
328:,
311:.
286:.
266:.
247:.
233:^
32:.
440:.
383:.
368:.
353:.
315:.
296:.
270:.
251:.
227:.
212:.
167:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.