Using Spilerman's (1970b) data on the timing and locations of race riots from 1961 to 1968, I use event history analysis to investigate the effects of local conditions on city-level hazard rates of rioting. First, several structural strain and social-psychological arguments, which were the focus of Spilerman's original studies, are reexamined in light of event history analysis. Second, I reinterpret ethnic competition arguments recently used to explain a wide variety of collective violence, and apply these ideas to the 1960s' riots. Third, I test two models of the diffusion of rioting. Like previous analyses, my findings fail to support structural strain theories. Contrary to previous analyses however, the size of the non-White population is not the singular predictor found for the 1960s' riot locations. Instead, my results support both competition and diffusion arguments.