6 Instances When Whites Took to Rioting, Leading to Death, Despair, Destruction

Source: kalamu.com Atlanta Race Riot, 1906 The Atlanta race riot took place Sept. 22-24, 1906. The Georgia city had become a hub for the regional economy. The growth of the Black population reflected this economic opportunity, growing from 9,000 in 1880 to 35,000 by 1900. This growth pitted Blacks and whites against each other, competing for scarce jobs. As the Black elite class began to grow, whites attempted to thwart their progress, blaming Blacks for increased violence against white women and rising crime rates. The riot began Sept. 22 when Atlanta newspapers reported four alleged assaults on local white women. A mob formed on Decatur Street, home to many Black businesses, and initiated an attack on hundreds of Blacks. The state militia controlled the mob after Blacks were driven off the streets by the violence. Police reported an estimated 25 to 40 African-Americans and two whites died. Blacks and their businesses were driven to the eastern part of the city. The Ku Klux Klan made its return to Atlanta shortly after the riot with a membership of more than 15,000 in the city. Source: www.blackpast.com East St. Louis Riot, 1917 The East St. Louis riot occurred on July 2, 1917, in East St. Louis, Illinois. Racial tensions were on the rise earlier that year in February when 470 African-American workers were hired to replace white workers who had gone on strike against the Aluminum Ore Co. On May 28, 1917, news of an attempted armed robbery of a white man by a Black man began to circulate. In response, white mobs formed and rioted downtown, attacking all African-Americans they saw. This event was only a prelude to the violence on July 2. Little was done by police to prevent future problems even though tensions continued to mount. On July 2, tensions erupted, and whites beat and shot Black men, women and children to death. White mobs set fire to Black homes and businesses, leaving them with the choice to burn alive in their homes or run out and be met with gunfire. An estimated 100 Blacks were killed. On July 6, officials called for radical reform or the resignation of the police chief. There was no report of the police chief resigning or being let go. Source: kumula.com Chicago Race Riot, 1919 The Chicago race riot began July 27, 1919, when a white man on a segregated Chicago beach threw rocks at Black swimmers, killing Eugene Williams. Tensions escalated when a police officer arrested a Black man instead of the white man responsible for Williams' death. Blacks protested and were met by white violence, with mobs even approaching Providence Hospital to attack African-American patients. The riot lasted nearly a week and ended after 6,000 National Guard troops were deployed to Chicago. Most rioting resulted in the arson of Black homes and businesses and in the murder of Black people on the city’s South Side. By the end, 23 African-Americans had died, and Blacks accounted for more than two-thirds of the 537 who were injured. More than 100 African-Americans were left homeless after the riot. African-Americans were expected to return to the Union Stock Yard but feared further rioting. Blacks were granted special police protection, but white union employees threatened to strike unless security forces were disbanded. Many African-Americans left the stock yards and the city after the riot. Source: kalamu.com Knoxville Riot, 1919 The Knoxville riot occurred in Tennessee from Aug. 30 to 31, 1919. It began when Maurice Mayes, a light-skinned Black man, was accused of killing a white woman during a burglary. Although there was no solid evidence against Mayes, he was known for fraternizing with women of both races and was not well-liked by white people in Knoxville. Mayes was arrested for the murder, which prompted a crowd of 5,000 whites to gather outside the jailhouse. The sheriff turned them away, but that night they returned with dynamite and blew off the doors. As news of the riot traveled, Blacks armed themselves to defend their neighborhoods and businesses. Shooting between Blacks and whites continued into the early morning hours of Aug. 31. It was estimated that 40 people were killed. Knoxville leaders refused to believe that the riot was a result of racial tensions. In October 1919, the Mayes trial began and the case was overturned shortly after due to no motive and no evidence. Mayes was retried in April 1921 and executed on March 15, 1922. Fifty-five white rioters were charged with minor offenses, but they were all acquitted. Hundreds of Black residents left the city for good due to the violence and lack of government response. Source: www.detroits-great-rebellion.com Detroit Race Riot, 1943 The Detroit race riot broke out in June of 1943 and lasted for three days before federal troops ended it. By the 1920s, Detroit had become a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Legion, both white supremacy organizations. As southern Blacks migrated north to cities like Detroit, economic and residential pressure continued to mount, resulting in a clash between Blacks and whites over resources. In June of 1943, Packard Motor Car Co. promoted three Blacks to work next to whites in the assembly lines. In response, 25,000 whites walked off the job, slowing critical production during the war. On June 20, 1943, a physical altercation broke out between Black and white youths on Belle Isle, eventually escalating to adults and large groups of people. Rumors spread of extreme violence against Black women and children by whites and white rapes by Blacks. Angry white mobs flooded Woodward Avenue, beating Black people as they got off the street cars, looting stores and burning buildings, mostly in Black neighborhoods. The riots lasted three days and ended once Mayor Edward Jeffries and Gov. Harry Kelly asked President Franklin D. Roosevelt to send federal troops. By the time they arrived and restored peace, 25 African-Americans had died, 17 of which were killed by the police. Blacks accounted for more than 75 percent of the 600 people injured and 85 percent of the 1,800 people who were arrested. Benton Harbor Riots, 1966 The Benton Harbor riots began in Benton Harbor, Michigan, on Aug. 30, 1966. In the 1960s, Benton Harbor experienced white flight, as whites left the city for the surrounding suburbs as Blacks began to move into white neighborhoods. Due to the Vietnam War, young people searching for employment in the automotive industry of Benton Harbor were unable to find economic stability. The competition for increasingly scarce resources led to an outburst of violence between whites and Blacks. A fatal shooting led to residents rioting for six days. During the riots, a bridge between Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, a neighboring wealthy area, was raised to prevent blacks from crossing over. The riots were quelled when the Michigan National Guard put an end to them.

Related Stories

‘ATL Shawty’: Ciara Drops Pic That Has Fans Gushing Over Her ‘Bad Girl’ Looks

Apartment Complex Employee on Leave After Refusing to Let Black Resident in Pool While White Woman Entered Without Questioning

St. Paul Police Accused of Sabotaging George Floyd Protests After White Man Randomly Vandalizes AutoZone Store with Hammer