Editing Wyandanch, New York (section)

===1967 racial disturbances===
{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = 1967 Wyandanch riots
| partof = the [[Long, hot summer of 1967]]
| date = August 1967
| place = [[Wyandanch]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[United States]]
| side1 = [[New York State Police]]
| side2 = rioters
}}
{{Campaignbox Long hot summer of 1967}}
The "[[Long, hot summer of 1967]]" included a reaction to racial tensions in Wyandanch. Over the first three nights of August 1967, racial disturbances broke out in Wyandanch as small groups of young African-American adults reportedly smashed windows in three stores, overturned two cars, set fire to the auditorium of the (now named) Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School on Mount Avenue, set fires at the Wyandanch VFW Hall and ambulance garage at South 20th Street and Straight Path, threw stones at the Wyandanch Fire House and pelted police officers with rocks and bottles.

Suffolk County officials intervened quickly and inventoried problems included joblessness, lack of bus access to area businesses and factories, a lack of recreational facilities for youth, and a lack of African-American representation in the police force.<ref>"When news of the tragic assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reached Wyandanch on Thursday evening, April 4, 1968, residents were stunned, saddened and angered. But, there was no violence in Wyandanch—unlike the major riots which erupted in many African-American communities in the U.S. The Wyandanch School District closed classes on Friday, April 5. In the months after Dr. King's killing, numerous efforts were made to assist Wyandanch." Abraham Rabinovich, "Wyandanch Negroes Cite Recreation Need," ''Newsday'', August 5, 1966; Frances X. Clines, "Violence Strikes LI Village Again: ''New York Times'', August 3, 1967: p.18; "LI Violence in 2nd Night", ''Long Island Press'', August 3, 1967: p.1; Frances X. Clines, "Wyandanch Youths List Complaints in Move to End Strife," ''New York Times'', August 5, 1967: p.8; John Childs and Gurney Williams, "Dennison Vows Wyandanch Aid," ''Newsday'', August 10, 1967: p.3; Carole Ashkinaze and Maurice Swift, "Suffolk CORE, NAACP Plan United Effort," ''Newsday'', April 14, 1968: p.23.</ref>

As a result of the August 1967 disturbances in Wyandanch, governments, private businesses, the Wyandanch School District, community church groups and individuals, residents and non-residents acted to address the numerous problems facing the community. The U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity and its Wyandanch Community Action Center worked to improve bus routes, develop job training programs and assist the indigent with accessing government services. [[The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company]] (A&P) built a modern supermarket in downtown Wyandanch at the corner of Straight Path and Long Island Avenue. Today, this building houses Suffolk County's Martin Luther King, Jr Community Health Center. Genovese Drugs opened a modern new store on the east side of Straight Path north of the Blue Jay shopping center.