Camilla massacre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Camilla massacre |
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| Date | September 19, 1868 | ||
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| Caused by | White peoples' anger over African Americans gaining the right to vote under the 1868 Georgia state constitution | ||
| Goals | Suppressing voting by African Americans | ||
| Methods | guns | ||
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| Reconstruction Era conflict | |||
The Camilla massacre happened in Camilla, Georgia, on September 19, 1868. This event was a violent attack on African Americans and their supporters. It took place during the Reconstruction Era, a time after the American Civil War when the United States was rebuilding.
After the Civil War, African Americans in Georgia gained the right to vote. This was part of Georgia's 1868 state constitution. However, many white people in the state were angry about this new right. They used violence to try and stop African Americans from using their political power. Groups like the Ku Klux Klan were formed during this time. Records show many violent attacks against newly freed African Americans in Georgia during 1868.
Why the March Happened
The massacre followed an important event earlier that month. Thirty-three black members of the Georgia General Assembly (Georgia's state government) were unfairly removed from their positions. One of these members was Philip Joiner, who represented southwest Georgia.
On September 19, Philip Joiner led a march. Several hundred black people, along with a few white supporters, walked about twenty-five miles. They marched from Albany, Georgia, to Camilla. Camilla was the main town in Mitchell County, Georgia. Their goal was to attend a Republican political rally. This rally was planned for the courthouse square. Between 150 and 300 people joined this march.
The Confrontation in Camilla
When the marchers approached Camilla, they received a warning. The local sheriff and a group of citizens told them they would be met with violence. They demanded that the marchers give up their guns. At that time, carrying weapons was legal and common. The marchers refused to give up their guns.
They continued their march to the courthouse square. There, a group of local white people, who had quickly been made deputies by the sheriff, shot at them. This attack forced the Republicans and freedmen to run away. They tried to hide in the nearby swamps. The local white people chased them.
Aftermath and Impact
During the attack and chase, about nine to fifteen black rally participants were killed. Around forty others were injured. After the massacre, violence continued in the area. For the next two weeks, white people went through the countryside. They threatened and hurt black people to stop them from voting in the upcoming election. The Camilla Massacre was the most serious of many violent acts against black people in southwest Georgia after the Civil War.
News of the Camilla massacre spread across the country. It caused the U.S. Congress to send the military back to Georgia to oversee the state. The event also played a role in the 1868 United States presidential election.
For many years, the Camilla massacre was not widely talked about in southwest Georgia. However, in 1998, people in Camilla publicly recognized the massacre for the first time. They held an event to remember the victims.
