Rabbit+Inn+Incident+'74



Occurred in South Boston in 1974. The primarily Irish Catholics that occupied the Rabbit Inn were regularly pelting buses with rocks, buses carrying African Americans. The Irish patrons of the pub were attempting to halt the desegregation process that had begun in Boston. This segregation process involved the shifting of students all around Boston. “ A busing plan that involves sending about 8,000 Black and Latino kids into white working class schools, and about 7,000 white working class kids into Black and Latino schools.”  (Saba) The racial tension at this time in South Boston was extremely high, with several racial events occurring. When the South Boston Police Department received word, they raided the Inn and violently beat many of its white patrons, an act considered to be of police brutality. - Justin Timmermann

Audience- The Rabbit Inn incident was targeted towards all inhabitants of South Boston. Many were angry at the Police force for the show of violence that they used against the Rabbit Inn occupants, and other displays of violence that they had been the perpetrators in. Many of the citizens in South Boston were against the Police after the Rabbit Inn Incident, and their union helped ease the desegregation process in the poorer Boston neighborhoods. - Justin Timmermann

Historical/cultural- The Rabbit Inn Incident displays the situation in the time of desegregation in the United States. The violence and hatred that was displayed in this time period even today can still be seen effecting the neighborhoods. Even with this, Southie today sees some of the highest property values in the city of Boston, a result of the economic prosperity that the inhabitants have found. - Justin Timmermann