On this day, August 25, in 1967, George Lincoln Rockwell, the head of the American Nazi Party, was killed by a sniper near his home in Arlington.
Rockwell, a former commercial artist and Naval Reserve commander, formed the party in 1959, opening its headquarters at 928 North Randolph St. in Arlington. Rockwell gained notoriety after columnist Drew Pearson wrote that Rockwell and his followers dressed in uniforms and armed themselves with guns while parading in front of an 18-foot Swastika flag inside Rockwell’s home.
Rockwell believed blacks should be deported to Africa and Jews should be sterilized. “Roots” author Alex Haley interviewed Rockwell for Playboy’s April 1966 issue.
On this day, 42 years ago, Rockwell, 49, Rockwell was shot while he was leaving the Dominion Hills Shopping Center in the 6000 block of Wilson Boulevard. Rockwell staggered out of his car, pointed toward the shopping center roof, and collapsed. Police arrested John Patler, 29, a recently expelled member of the Nazi party, for Rockwell’s death.
Patler was sentenced to 20 years.
— Scott McCabe
