WATTS

southwestern district of Los Angeles, California, U.S. It gained widespread notoriety Aug. 11-16, 1965, as the scene of racial disturbances. Provoked by long-standing social injustices, thousands of blacks rioted, burned stores, and pillaged the area. Before order was restored 34 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured. The district, originally called Mud Town, was renamed in 1900 for C.H. Watts, a Pasadena realtor who owned a ranch there. It was annexed to Los Angeles in 1926. Pop. (1990) 32,145.