Springfield race riot of 1908 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 1908 Springfield Race Massacre |
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| Part of the Nadir of American race relations | |
Burned black residences in "The Badlands"
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The Springfield race riot of 1908 consisted of events of mass racial violence committed against African Americans by a mob of about 5,000 white Americans and European immigrants in Springfield, Illinois, between August 14 and 16, 1908. Two black men had been arrested as suspects in an attempted assault and murder. The alleged victims were two young white women and the father of one of them. When a mob seeking to lynch the men discovered the sheriff had transferred them out of the city, the whites furiously spread out to attack black neighborhoods, murdered black citizens on the streets, and destroyed black businesses and homes. The state militia was called out to quell the rioting.
The riot, trials and aftermath are said to be one of the most well-documented examples of the complex intersection of race, class, and criminal justice in the United States. In 2008 an NPR report on the centenary of the race riot said that the fact of its taking place in a Northern state, specifically in "The Land of Lincoln", demonstrated that blacks were mistreated across the country, not just in the South, and described the event as a proxy for the story of race in America.
At least sixteen people died as a result of the riot: nine black residents, and seven white residents who were associated with the mob. It was misreported for decades that only militia were responsible for white deaths and that more whites than blacks had died. Personal and property damages, suffered overwhelmingly by blacks, amounted to more than $150,000 (approximately $4 million in 2018), as dozens of black homes and businesses were destroyed, as well as three white-owned businesses of suspected black sympathizers.
As a result of the rioting, numerous blacks left Springfield, but it is unclear how many moved away permanently. Although in the following months over 100 riot-related indictments were issued and some pled to minor violations, only one alleged rioter went to trial and conviction for lesser offenses. Of the two accused black men, who were the initial focus of the lynch mob, one was eventually tried, convicted and executed the other was set free. Near the 100th anniversary in 2008, the City of Springfield erected historical markers and a memorial statue. The riot was a catalyst for the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), organized to work on civil rights for African Americans.
Background
In 1908, Springfield was a transportation hub, connected by railroad to other major cities such as Indianapolis, Louisville, and Kansas City, etc. Illinois is often considered a microcosm of the U.S. and Springfield, with about 45,000 people at the time, most of whom were working class, was described as an "average American community".
The city of Illinois, was a rapidly-growing industrial center, with the highest percentage of African Americans of any comparably-sized city in Illinois. Racial tensions were high at the time due to fierce job competition and the use of black workers as "scabs" during labor strikes [1].
On July 4, 1908, someone broke into the home of mining engineer Clergy Ballard. Ballard awoke and rose to investigate, finding a man standing near his daughter's bed. The intruder fled the house and Ballard gave chase. After catching up with the intruder, Ballard was mortally wounded. Before he died, Ballard identified the assailant as Joe James, a black man with a long record of minor crimes. White citizens of the town were enraged by this crime. A crowd of whites caught James and beat him unconscious. The police rescued James, arrested him, and locked him in the city jail [2].
On Friday, August 14 of that year, the local Illinois State Journal newspaper ran the story of a white woman, Mabel Hallam, who had allegedly been attacked by a local black man, George Richardson. The 21-year-old wife of a well-known streetcar conductor claimed that the black caretaker had dragged her out of bed and assaulted her the night before. Police arrested Richardson and took him to the city jail as well [3].
Mob action
Later on August 14, a crowd of white citizens gathered in downtown Springfield, outraged by the fact that two black men had allegedly committed brutal crimes against white townspeople. The crowd demanded the release of the prisoners, but Sheriff Charles Werner was able to remove the two from jail and transport them to safety in nearby Bloomington.
When the crowd learned that the two black prisoners had escaped, they directed their anger toward the rest of Springfield's minorities. They proceeded to Fishman's Hardware, owned by a Jewish businessman, and stole weapons to use in the further destruction of homes and businesses. Then the mob moved on the Levee, a predominantly African American area, and destroyed numerous black-owned businesses [4].
As the crowd moved on towards the Badlands, another black neighborhood, they encountered a black barber named Scott Burton, killing him as he attempted to defend his business with a warning shot from a shotgun.
The mob then burned black-owned homes in the Badlands. By this time, an estimated 12,000 people had gathered to watch the houses burn. When firefighters arrived, people in the crowd impeded their progress and cut their hoses. African American citizens were forced to flee the town, find refuge with sympathetic whites, or hide in the State Arsenal. The National Guard was finally able to disperse the crowd late that night [5].
The next day, Saturday, August 15, as thousands of black residents fled the city, five thousand National Guard troops marched in to keep the peace, along with curiosity seekers and tourists who had read about the riots in the newspaper [6]. The peace was soon broken, however, when a new mob formed and began marching toward the State Arsenal, where many black residents were being housed. When confronted by a National Guardsman, the crowd changed direction and instead walked to the home of 84-year-old black resident William Donnegan. Although he had committed no crime, Donnegan had been married to a white woman for 32 years. When Donnegan came outside, the mob captured him and lynched him.
Aftermath
The riots ended at this point, leaving 40 homes and 24 businesses in ruins, and seven people confirmed dead: two black men and five white people who were killed in the violence. Some of the white casualties were shot by blacks defending their homes and businesses. There were rumored to have been several more unreported deaths.
A grand jury brought 107 indictments against individuals who had allegedly participated in the riots, but only one man was convicted.
As a direct result of the Springfield Race Riot, a meeting was held in New York City to discuss solutions to racial problems in the U.S. This meeting led to the formation of the NAACP, a well-known civil rights organization [7].
Visitors to Springfield, Illinois, can take a self-guided tour of nine historical markers that describe key moments in the Springfield Race Riot of 1908.
