1972 – The Watts Writers Workshop Reopens

On May 28, 1972, the Watts Writers Workshop officially reopened in Los Angeles after being destroyed in a suspicious fire the year before. Founded in the wake of the 1965 Watts Rebellion, the Workshop became a cultural hub where Black writers, poets, and musicians could express their lived experiences and reimagine Black futures. Led by Budd Schulberg and supported by community activists, the Workshop nurtured talents like Quincy Troupe and Kamau Daáood. Its reopening symbolized resilience in the face of systemic attempts to silence Black creativity. The fire that destroyed the building in 1971 was widely believed to be an act of sabotage, later linked to COINTELPRO. Despite the attack, the community rallied to revive the space, proving that Black artistic institutions can rise from the ashes stronger. May 28 commemorates the rebirth of a revolutionary arts movement that shaped the Black Arts and cultural resistance.