Today is the 50th anniversary of the Newark Rebellion, four days of civil disturbance that lasted from July 12 to July 17, 1967 and left 26 dead and 727 injured — and saw the city’s business district engulfed in flames fueled by arson.

The rebellion was sparked off after two white police officers beat a black cabdriver; a rumor spread that he had been killed while in police custody. (This was not true.)

The Newark riots, as they were then known, led to 1,500 arrests. Property damage exceeded $10 million.

Of the 26 killed, according to Wikipedia, 24 were civilians. A police officer and a firefighter also lost their lives. Among the injured were 567 civilians, 67 police officers, 55 firefighters, and 38 military personnel.

A 50th Anniversary Memorial March will be held this afternoon at 4:30, meeting at the Newark Rebellion Memorial, on the crossroads of Springfield Avenue, 15th Avenue, and Irvine Turner Boulevard.