Final answer:
The primary racial battles in the riots were primarily between African Americans and white mobs or law enforcement, as African Americans fought against discrimination and systemic oppression.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary racial battle in the actual riots often involved African Americans defending themselves and their communities against hostile actions and systemic oppression by white mobs and law enforcement. During the Civil Rights Movement, riots such as the Springfield Riot in Illinois and the Watts Riots in Los Angeles were catalyzed by incidents of discrimination, violence, and frustration over socioeconomic disparities. This was exacerbated by competition for jobs and housing, leading to outbreaks of violence where white and Black citizens clashed. The race riots of the 1919 Red Summer and throughout the 1960s, including those following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, often saw African Americans aggressively defending their communities against white aggression, which was sometimes sparked by returning white soldiers who sought to reclaim their perceived place in society.