Louis race riot headline, 1917 the city of east st. Next year will mark the 100 th anniversary of the july 2, 1917 race riot in east st. From july 1 through july 3, 1917, a small illinois city located across the river from its missouri counterpart was overrun with violence. American pogrom takes the reader beyond that pivotal time in the citys.
At least 100 africanamericans died some sources put the figure at nearly 200, and over 6,000 were left homeless. See more ideas about east st louis, african american history and black history. Louis race riot of 1917 edited by elliott rudwick guide compiled by mike acquaviva a microfilm project of university publications of. East st louis commemorates 1917 race riots through silent. Explore free books, like the victory garden, and more browse now. East saint louis race riot of 1917, july 2, bloody outbreak of violence in east st.
As historians have looked at its various causes, they have labeled it in different ways, depending on what aspect of it they have focused their attention on. Jul 23, 2019 the 1917 race riots which occurred in east st. Louis, illinois was the scene of one of the bloodiest race riots in the 20th century. Louis, one of the most deadly race massacres in the u. Books of the times end papers race riot at east st. Price new from used from paperback, january 1, 1964 please retry. Racial tensions began to increase in february 1917 when 470 african american workers were hired to replace white workers who had gone on strike against the aluminu. Paperback january 1, 1964 by elliott rudwick author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. East saint louis race riot of 1917 united states history. Louis race riot of 1917 edited by elliott rudwick guide compiled by mike acquaviva a microfilm project of university publications of america, inc. Louis, the aweinspiring, tearinducing city that, in its prime, held 80,000 people but which has dwindled to 30,000 in 2003. Louis set the stage for a national movementyet today, few people remember the horror. Jul 28, 2017 a riot in east saint louis sparked a silent protest parade in new york city on july 28, 1917, and began a national approach to civil rights.
The name refers to a race riot that occurred in the industrial city of east st. Louis massacres were a series of outbreaks of labor and racerelated violence by people that caused the deaths of an. Louis, illinois, corrupt city officials and industrialists had openly courted southern blacks, luring them north to replace striking white laborers. Louis race riots a century ago, a tragic series of events in east st. He returns, nearly fifty years after the publication of eliott m. Louis, illinois, race riot, which erupted on 2 nd july, 1917, was arguably one of the worst race riots of the early 20 th century. Im sharing this article on facebook to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the east st. For background on the riot, the researcher may wish to consult elliott m. Bell that warned of approaching white mobs amid east st. Louis riot, or rather massacre, of monday july 2nd, will go down in history as one of the bloodiest outrages against mankind for which any class of people could be held guilty. This is no time for fine words, but a time to lift ones voice against the savagery of a people who claim to be the dispensers of democracy. It was the worst of many incidents of racial antagonism in the united states during world war i that were directed especially toward black americans newly employed in war.
Louis is in what is defined as the metroeast region of southern illinois. A riot in east saint louis sparked a silent protest parade in new york city on july 28, 1917, and began a national approach to civil rights. Jul 04, 2008 barnes book centers on a race riot in east st. Jodi roberts writes, the violence, aimed principally at africanamerican communities, left dozens dead and hundreds injured, and created a fortune in property damage. Through acts of mob violence and terrorism, up to 400 black people were estimated to have been murdered and thousands were left homeless after their houses. Louis race riots of 1917 saw the indiscriminate massacre of men, women, and children in a onesided spate of brutal burnings of people and buildings, lynchings, shootings, and beatings that left an official death toll of 39 black and nine white americans dead. Louis descended into one of the deadliest race riots in u. In 1917, perhaps the worst race riot in american history was unleashed in east st. A white mob surrounds a street car during the riots in east st. The details of the riot haunted me, says barnes, whose book never been a time.
This title takes the reader beyond that pivotal time in the citys. Excerpts in the late 1910s and early 1920s, notably during the red summer of 1919, devastating race riots erupted across the nation at a level of mass violence unprecedented in american racial history. Louis race riot of 1917 of work and wealth, darkwater. Wednesday what screening and discussion of the documentary against all the odds. Contemporary reports said that more than 100 negroes. Louis riverfront of the mississippi river, with st. Louis black community who was charged with inciting the riot. Lumpkins lumpkins reveals the engagement of political and economic insiders in shaping both the violence and its aftermath, and in so doing he presents a model for understanding racial violence that both highlights black political activism and reminds us of the costs that. Louis are one of those absolutely tragic, horrible, awful events that continue to compound our history, said dr. An influenza epidemic killed as many as 675,000 americans in 1918. In 1919, according to barnes book, there were as many as 38 race riots and 83 lynchings. Hes been studying the race riots for years, and said it was the riots that inspired the 1917 silent march in new york city in response to the violence in east st. The worst race riot america ever saw occurred in the grimy industrial slum of east st.
Louis until this past year when i read dennis lehanes historically detailed story of the 1919 boston police strike, the given day. A map with descriptions of 24 key sites related to the east st. Jun 28, 2017 a series of events is planned to commemorate the 1917 east st. This weekend marks the 100th anniversary of one of the most brutal and shameful episodes of mass violence in american history. Clair county, illinois, united states within greater st. On july 2 and 3, 1917, race riots rocked the small industrial city of east st. Jul 03, 2017 im sharing this article on facebook to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the east st. Louis riot of july 1917, the first of the awful race riots of the era of the great war. This was, in fact, often realized as whiteowned companies exploited the situation. Louis race riot left dozens dead, devastating a community on the rise three days of violence forced africanamerican families to run for their lives and the aftereffects are still. Despite growing up just 60 miles away in mostly white southern illinois, i had never heard of the 1917 race riot in east st. Harper barnes revisits one of the most tragic events in american history, the east st. Historianjournalist harper barnes detailed the incident in his book never been a time. American pogrom takes the reader beyond that pivotal time in the citys history to explore black peoples activism from the antebellum era to the eve of the postworld war ii civil rights movement.
It was the worst of many incidents of racial antagonism in the united states during world war. Louis is in what is defined as the metro east region of southern illinois. On july 2 and 3, 1917, race riots rocked the small industrial city of east st louis, illinois. President, why not make america safe for democracy.
Not the best source material for studying the east st. Lumpkins lumpkins reveals the engagement of political and economic insiders in shaping both the violence and its aftermath, and in so doing he presents a model for understanding racial violence that both highlights black political activism and reminds us of the costs that maintaining white supremacy imposed on the black community and the nation. Meanwhile, racial tensions flared in tulsa, philadelphia, and brooklyn. This sunday, may 28, is the 100year anniversary of the first. Reconsidering the east st louis race riot of 1917 malcolm mclaughlin summary. It is located directly across the mississippi river from downtown st. Racial tensions began to increase in february 1917 when 470 african american workers were hired to replace white workers who had gone on strike against the aluminum ore company. Racial tensions began to increase in february, 1917 when 470 african american workers were hired to replace white workers who had gone on strike against the aluminum ore company. Louis race riots of 1917 saw the indiscriminate massacre of men, women, and children in a onesided spate of brutal burnings of people and buildings, lynchings, shootings, and. Once a bustling industrial center, like many cities in the rust belt, east st.
Racial tension that brewed as black workers moved here from the south for jobs, sometimes working as strikebreakers. Louis massacres were a series of outbreaks of labor and racerelated violence by people that caused the deaths of an estimated 40250 african americans in late may and early july 1917. Charles lumpkins shows that black residents of east st. Louis race riots have gone down in history as some of the worst examples of race relations in the st. I had this book for a class and thought it was bland to study from. Jun 28, 2017 this weekend marks the 100th anniversary of one of the most brutal and shameful episodes of mass violence in american history. Louis race riot of 1917 proquest published by guset user, 20150322 00. Louis massacres of mayjuly 1917 the caption reads, mr. Louis, illinois, stemming specifically from the employment of black workers in a factory holding government contracts. This tinderbox erupted on july 2, 1917 into what would become one of the bloodiest american riots of the world war era. This study concerns a racial massacre which took place in east st louis, illinois on 2 july 1917. Louis, july 2, 1917 1964, with a focus on the role of african americans in the.
The violence erupted during a period of acute industrial unrest, and after signi. Barness account of the 1917 riot is a tale of labor unrest as blacks were used as strikebreakers, of the power of rumor, of corrupt local politics, of the. Louis producer jim kirchherr looks back at the ethnic, political and social conflicts taking place in east st. A series of events is planned to commemorate the 1917 east st.
Hes referring to an incident that survivors call the east st. The 1917 race riot that sparked the civil rights movement was published in. American pogrom takes the reader beyond that pivotal time in the citys history to explore black peoples activism from the antebellum era to the eve of the postworld war ii. While most of these riots took place in 1919, one of. The bloodiest and ugliest of the race riots in the industrial north took place in east st. Louis, july 2, 1917 blacks in the new world paperback august 1, 1982 by elliott rudwick author. If any story deserves to be told, its that of east st.
This tinderbox erupted on july 2, 1917 into what would become one of the bloodiest american riots of. I found the book disturbing because it is difficult for me to understand the deep seated racial violence perpetrated upon innocent people simply because of their color. Silent parade, east saint louis riots and civil rights time. American pogrom takes the reader beyond that pivotal time in the citys history to explore black peoples activism from the antebellum era to the eve of the postworld war ii civil rights movement charles lumpkins shows that black residents of east st. From july 1 through july 3, 1917, a small illinois city located across the river from its missouri counterpart was overrun with.
Kennedys father samuel, who was born in 1910, lived in east st. It was around noon on a bright monday in early july 1917, and lena cook was on her way home to st. This title takes the reader beyond that pivotal time in the citys history to explore black peoples. Louis, il, will commemorate the 1917 race riot, which resulted in dozens or hundreds of deaths and injuries, as well as burned buildings.
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