July 16, 1964: James Powell was fatally shot by officer Thomas Giligan, sparking a six day long string of riots. Gilligan stated he heard glass break and inspected it to find Powell wielding a knife, and held this story through his trial where he was cleared of any crime. Witnesses claim they did not see Powell holding a knife, and people in the Harlem Community believed this was an act of police brutality.

 July 17, 1964: The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) showed up at the scene the morning after his death. They were met by 50 NYPD officers carrying night sticks as they chanted, “Stop Killer Cops!” They called for discipline against the police for this act. 

July 18, 1964: James Powell’s funeral was held, and 250 people attended. The crowd called for the arrest of Gilligan as they were met with shards of glass and garbage lids thrown from residents of rooftops above them, and the swinging clubs of officers. The rioters looted over 22 stores, 19 people and 12 police officers were injured and 1 rioter died. 

July 19, 1964: Hostility between the community and the NYPD grew as rioters continued. A Black Citizens Council was held, and speakers tried reasoning with rioters for a peaceful protest, but members of the crowd disagreed. The crowd moved to Delaney Funeral Home, where a service was being held for Powell. One person threw a glass bottle at an officer, and he threw it back into the crowd. From this point on, bricks and bottles began to be thrown off rooftops into crowds. The ferocity ended at around 1:30am. By the end of the night, 45 stores were looted, 93 citizens and 27 police officers were injured, and 108 people were arrested.

July 20, 1964: The President of the New York City Council, Paul Screvane announced that a Grand Jury would investigate the killing of James Powell. A United Nations demonstration was held in protest of terrorism against African Americans, and a riot followed this event. A march was planned for Monday by the Brooklyn CORE, and later they set up a rally where police eventually charged the mob without distincting innocent civilians and rioters, this continued until 7am on July 21.

July 21, 1964: Black Nationalist speakers spoke to a large crowd. The crowd grew more emotional after each speech, and after one speech in particular a riot broke out, and the police charged the crowd as rioters threw bottles at them. The situation was calm again at 2am Wednesday, July 22.

Sources:

New York's 'Night Of Birmingham Horror' Sparked A Summer Of Riots : Code Switch : NPR

The New York Riots of 1964: Violent history with a haunting familiarity - The Bowery Boys: New York City History (boweryboyshistory.com)

Remembering James Powell and the Harlem Riots of 1964 | by darryl robertson | Medium

CITY TO INCREASE NEGROPOLICEMEN ON HARLEM DUTY; Killing of Boy by Officer Will Go to Grand Jury Today, Screvane Says; WAGNER IS RETURNING; Backs Steps to Ease Tension — Rulings on Brutality Charges to Be Studied - The New York Times (nytimes.com)