Julius H. Cromwell: Lesson not learned in Baltimore

After the shock and total disbelief of the Baltimore disruption have worn off, the question is, can Baltimore recover from the devastation resulting from the rioting, burning and looting of several of its neighborhoods? It seems as though history is repeating itself.

In April 1968 following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Baltimore was devastated by a series of disruptions that resulted in the deaths of six people, dozens of injuries and property damage totaling in the millions. The disturbances had broken out in the black neighborhoods of East and West Baltimore where extensive rioting, burning and looting occurred. These are the same communities that were nearly destroyed when rioting, burning and looting broke out following the funeral of Freddie Gray, a black man who died while in police custody.

Have we not learned that destruction of our own neighborhoods and communities is not, has not and will not ever be the answer to resolving the problems impacting black communities, such as high unemployment, poor housing, dysfunctional schools, disaffected youths and the over-aggressive policing of black neighborhoods?

This story was originally published May 14, 2015 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Julius H. Cromwell: Lesson not learned in Baltimore."