Wattstax Film Poster

Conceived in 1966, Watts Summer Festival is the oldest African American cultural festival in America. The 1972 concert was an answer to the devastation of the Watts Rebellion of 1965 and a celebration of Black culture and resilience. Likened to the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock, the Watts Summer Festival was not solely a musical event, but also a fundraiser and documentary. The festival sold out the 100,000-capacity L.A. Coliseum with $1.00 admission, with the Stax roster performing for free, and with a security force that was entirely Black and unarmed. Wattstax offered a cross-section of Black music, from gospel to pop. It was the largest gathering of African Americans during that time, but sadly received lack of media coverage.