A History of White “Race Riots” in America

Extrajudicial State Actions and Killings, History, P. Djeli Clark, Racism

A History of White “Race Riots” in America

By Phenderson Djeli Clark A reminder of what the term “race riot” has usually meant throughout American history. This list is NOT comprehensive, and does not include events such as the Anti-Filipino Riots, Rosewood, the Zoot Suit Riots or the 26 anti-black race riots during the Summer of 1919. But they offer a glimpse. https://twitter.com/pdjeliclark/status/537752990765944832 1842-Philadelphia…

December 1, 2014

1–2 minutes

By Phenderson Djeli Clark Follow @pdjeliclark

A reminder of what the term “race riot” has usually meant throughout American history. This list is NOT comprehensive, and does not include events such as the Anti-Filipino Riots, Rosewood, the Zoot Suit Riots or the 26 anti-black race riots during the Summer of 1919. But they offer a glimpse.

https://twitter.com/pdjeliclark/status/537752990765944832

1842-Philadelphia white mobs attack a black parade and riot for 3 days, beating many, looting black homes & burning a church. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

1841 Cincinnati-white mobs riot against black dock workers using a cannon, destroying property & killing an unknown number. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

1824 Providence- white mobs attack blacks for refusing to get off sidewalk; destroy 20 buildings in black district. #Ferguson #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

NY Draft Riots 1863

NY Draft Riots

NY Draft Riots- mob hunting black women and children

The draft riots in New York

1863 Detroit-after a sensationalist rape trial white mobs riot, beating and killing blacks and burning down some 35 buildings. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

1866 New Orleans- whites attack black political parade outside the Mechanics Institute in New Orleans; 38 killed and 46 wounded. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

"Murdering Negroes in the rear of the Mechanics Institute," New Orleans Riot 1866 — “Murdering Negroes in the rear of the Mechanics Institute,” New Orleans Riot 1866

1866 Memphis-white mobs riot against black Union soldiers; 46 blacks killed, 5 black women raped, 100 buildings looted & burned #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

“shooting down Negroes in the morning” – Memphis Race Riot 1866

1866 Memphis Riot- white mobs burn black school #whiteriots

1868 Louisiana-"Opelousas Massacre" political riots result in over 1000 armed whites massacring perhaps over 100 black opponents #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

1870 Laurens, SC- mob of 2500 armed whites riot against local freedman's militia, black officeholders & their white allies. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

1870 Eutaw, Alabama- in political unrest, white mobs spark riots at polling places to terrorize and intimidate black voters. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

1871 Meridian, MS- rioting white mobs kill 30 blacks over several days. local black homes burned along with a black school. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 26, 2014

1873 Colifax, LA- armed white mobs riot against black officeholders, burning courthouse with blacks inside, killing 60 to 150. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

Colfax Massacre 1873, Louisiana. Image: New York Times April 16 1873

Colfax Massacre, Louisiana 1873. Survivors dragging away the dead and injured

1874 Vicksburg, MS- white citizens, angered by black voters and officeholders, erupt into a riot. 31 people were killed. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

1874 Coushatta, Louisiana- paramilitary White League sparks riot killing some 20 freedmen officeholders and their white allies. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

1874 Liberty Place Riot- in Louisiana 5000 White League members riot against local govt seen favorable to blacks. 40 killed. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

Louisiana outrages- Harper's Weekly 1874 — Louisiana outrages- Harper’s Weekly 1874

1876 Hamburg, SC- armed white mobs riot in local black district, killing members of black militia and looting the town. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

1898 Wilmington, NC- white mob of 2000 attacks black newspaper, rampaging & looting black district. 15 to 60 blacks killed. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

gathering white mob. Wilmington North Carolina riots1898

Wilmington massacre, NC

1898 Phoenix, SC- white mobs riot to stop blacks from voting, killing many prominent blacks, chasing others from their homes. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

1898 Lake City, SC- white mob riots against black postmaster, burning his home, killing him and his infant 1 yr old daughter. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

1906 Atlanta- 10,000 whites rampage thru black Atlanta for 3 days. 40 blacks killed, black property burned, forced to flee city #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

Atlanta Georgia Race Riots September 1906

1908 Springfield, IL- for two days white mobs riot in black district. 2 blacks killed, 40 homes & 20 businesses destroyed. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

Black district destroyed by white mob- Springfield, IL race riot 1908 #whiteriots

1917 St. Louis- 3000 strong white mob burn & loot black homes & destroy local black business district. 100 to 200 blacks killed. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

African American History in STL

At the Municipal Lodging House During the East St Louis Race Riot – Crisis Magazine, 1917

1921 Tulsa- white mobs riot in black business district. 10,000 left homeless; 35 blocks destroyed; 800 injured; 25 to 300 killed #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

Tulsa Race Riot 1921

3rd June 1921: Martial law in Tulsa

for most of America's history "race riot" meant white supremacy asserting itself through ritualized violence. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

modern American notions of "race riot" pull from images of the 1960s: Watts & Detroit. but the term has a much longer history. #whiteriots

— Disgruntled Haradrim (@pdjeliclark) November 27, 2014

p.s Unrelated – Post-game riots at West Virginia University

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Read more by Phenderson Djeli Clark find him on Twitter @pdjeliclark

[View the story “A History of White “Race Riots” in America, With Pictures #WhiteRiots” on Storify]

13 responses to “A History of White “Race Riots” in America”

Lola

June 11, 2016 at 7:08 am

We have to practice Group Economics to destroy White Supremacy! That’s the best immediate strategy.

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John the Cat Guy

April 8, 2016 at 8:09 pm

Just a correction- the St. Louis riot was actually in East St. Louis across the Mississippi river in Illinois, and the total dead was 39

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Juan Florez

February 8, 2016 at 11:10 pm

You have to name riots back in the day, and no one denies whites have rioted, or even burned their own businesses and neighborhoods down, but nowadays it’s mostly anti white african americans. role flipped

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1. Ferd (@fel121)
  
  April 28, 2016 at 6:28 pm
  
  If you have any real interest in understanding this, you should look at where black folks live in the ghetto and see who it is that “own” the places they live, work and shop. A lot of black folks live places and pay rents for generations and never “own” anything, so when they burn these places to the ground it is not their sh!t they are destroying.
  
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2. successful504
  
  November 12, 2016 at 11:40 pm
  
  So Juan, how many white men, women, elderly, & children have been murdereded by black people during these “modern time” mid 20th century riots?
  
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OLD mAN

November 25, 2015 at 10:43 pm

I was a civil rights protester in the sixies now I am considered a bigot because I am a old, white, male,Vet. You would think that a people who were once repressed in this country would have some compassion for those who fought for their rights, instead they hate all whites and I see nothing coming from the Black community but extreme racism and hate. American whites fought to end slavery while Black Muslims still practice it all over the world. History proves blacks were inslaved and still are by Muslim slavers. They were only traded by the dutch who brought them here. Facts folks!! Who cares what happened 100 years ago, lets forgo the racist stuff and treat each other with respect!!!!! Forgive the dead for what they did and lets make this a better world with compassion and respect!!!!

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1. Ferd (@fel121)
  
  April 28, 2016 at 6:31 pm
  
  The difference is Old boy, after you went and played civil rights hero in your 20’s you could go back to the comforts of your middle class life and pat yourself on the back for you good deed, never looking back, did the struggle end they day the civil rights bill passed?
  
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Joseph Atkinson

July 17, 2015 at 9:00 pm

I am a Librarian, and greatly appreciate your research efforts. May in assist in some way. An interesting angle is $value of the destruction, and 10, 20 50 year longitudinal study on the aftermath, affect on property values, shifts in demographics, what scars do we wrestle with today.

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Andre

May 1, 2015 at 10:18 pm

no mention of the 1919 race riot in Chicago

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Norman E. Robertson

May 1, 2015 at 5:27 pm

Interesting how original riots of violence were characterized by white mobs armed with weapons and visciously killing innocent, established, hardworking Blacks. All was quickly forgotten, forgiven, or erased from the annals of history. Fast forward to now, whereby riots are associated with Blacks causing major disruptions against the white establishment. These images are constantly flashed across the media screen and become engrained in the hearts and minds of society. He who controls the image determines the definition!

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Joyce Smith

December 1, 2014 at 3:33 pm

Article surveyed most white clueles. Perhaps, in their eyes we do not give them:
jobs, houses, employment, money. Therefore, we are in significant.
Does this warrant mistreatment?
Is this a form of bullying?

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pepaulmier

December 1, 2014 at 3:02 pm

Unfortunately, Dr. Rex, you are right, history will continue to repeat itself if people do not change.

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Dr. Rex

December 1, 2014 at 1:52 pm

History keeps repeating itself … and we don’t learn the lessons. Until we do, they will continually be repeated!!

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