In the weeks after the Ferguson shooting, the riots are finally beginning to dwindle and the National Guard has been removed from the area.
Civil rights activists say this riot was in the wake of years of racial discrimination, as the city is predominately black and the police in the city are predominately white, reports Reuters.
Though there are more racial equality laws in the country since the time America was born, race has been a driving factor in the majority of the nation's largest riots, whether the country was under democratic or republican leadership.
Here's a look at 10 of the nation's biggest riots to date:
1. New York Draft Riot (1863)
What Happened: Congress passes law making all men between ages 20 and 45 forced to join military, only way out is to pay $300, which only the rich could afford. The Emancipation Proclamation was just passed, allowing for blacks to work, and the people staying home from war didn't want to work with the blacks. The riot lasted four days and about 120 people were killed and 2,000 injured.
President: Abraham Lincoln (Dem.)
2. Watts Riots (1965)
What Happened: Racial tension in Los Angeles reached a breaking point after two white police man rough up a black man after arresting him for drinking and driving. During ensuing the six-day riot, 34 were killed, 1,032 injured, 3,438 arrested and there was about $40 million in damages.
President: Lyndon B. Johnson (Dem.)
3. Newark (1967)
What Happened: John Smith, an African American cab driver, was pulled over and beat by the police for improperly passing them. This was the breaking point in the area, and the six-day riot that followed left 26 dead, hundreds injured and almost 1,500 jailed. The riots cost the city over $10 million.
President: Lyndon B. Johnson (Dem.)
4. Detroit Riots /12th Street Riots (1967)
What Happened: William Scott's illegal after hours nightclub on weekends out of a civil rights group office was shut down by police. In Detroit, the police were predominately white, while most of the city was predominantly black. This led to a five-day riot and fires throughout the city. About 400 police officers were brought in and more than 7,200 arrests were made. Damages cost the city between $40-80 million.
President: Lyndon B. Johnson (Dem.)
5. After Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassination (1968)
What Happened: After the civil rights leader was assassinated, it brought up racial issues existing in cities throughout the country. Shortly after King's death, deadly riots occurred in about 60 cities. The biggest riots occurred in Washington D.C., Baltimore, Louisville, Kansas City and Chicago.
President: Lyndon B. Johnson (Dem)
6. Attica Prison Riot (1971)
What Happened: Inmates rioted and seized control of Attica Prison because it was overcrowded, their letters were censored, and living conditions only allowed them one shower a week and one toilet paper roll per month. The four-day riot left 39 dead and 89 injured.
President: Richard Nixon (Rep)
7. Oklahoma State Penitentiary (1973)
What Happened: Earlier in the year, prisoners had a 3-day hunger strike protesting against racial discrimination, censorship of mail and poor health care. The riot itself was more physically violent - inmates were drunk off homemade alcohol and stabbed corrections officers. During the six-day riot, 21 prison officials were taken hostage and the prison went up in flames, costing about $20 million in damages. It left 3 dead and 21 injured.
President: Richard Nixon (Rep.)
8. NYC Blackout (1977)
What Happened: A lightning bolt struck a substation on the Hudson River, causing a 24-hour black out. During those hours there was mass looting and over 1,000 fires. There were over 550 police injuries and it still holds the title of the largest mass arrest in New York City history, with 4,500 looters being arrested. The damages cost the city an estimated $300 million.
President: Jimmy Carter (Dem.)
9. Los Angeles Riots (1992)
What Happened: African-American Rodney King was beat by a white LAPD officer - while other white officers watched - after King led them on a high-speed chase through Los Angeles County. The beating led to a six-day riot with 53 deaths, thousands of injuries, over $1 billion in damages and more than 11,000 arrests.
President: George H. Bush (Rep.)
10. Cincinnati Riots (2001)
What Happened: A white policeman shot and killed Timothy Thomas, a 19-year-old unarmed black man. This led to a four-day riot that cost the city over $15 million as a result of damages and the resulting boycott of downtown businesses.
President: George W. Bush (Rep)
