Tuesday, March 14, 2017

March 14

On this day in 1973, Brenda Milstein of Staten Island, NY's 19th birthday party was ruined when a SWAT team busted down her front door and raided the event. The party's comic theme had been "Black is Beautiful," with guests required to come in costume. Unfortunately, neighbors were unaware of the innocent fun and, on seeing more than two dozen people with dashikis and afro wigs descend on their quiet, peaceful street, and hearing the sounds of Marvin Gaye from within the Milstein home, several of them alerted the authorities of the violent radicals in their midst. Upon discovering they had raided not a Black Panthers meeting, but a group of young, white people enjoying a wholesome evening of mirth, SWAT officers apologized, and the Milstein family was reimbursed for the cost of repairs to their property. 

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