A race riot is any riot which occurs due to real or perceived inequality or oppression between members of different races. These riots are normally sparked by an isolated incident that is representative of a history of perceived abuses.

A number of riots occurred in the United States during the 20th century due to issues of racial inequality, including the Atlanta Riots (1906), the Chicago Riots (1919), the Tulsa Riots (1921), two riots in Detroit (1943 and 1967), as well as riots in Watts (1965), Newark (1967), York (1969), and Los Angeles (1992).