George Marshall Clarke facts for kids

George Marshall Clarke (1838 – 1861) was an African American barber who lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On September 6, 1861, a large group of fifty to seventy-five Irishmen forcibly took Clarke from the city jail in Milwaukee. They questioned him and then killed him in an act of lynching. This happened after Marshall Clarke and another African American man, James P. Shelton, had a fight with two Irishmen. During the fight, one of the Irishmen, Darby Carney, died. Clarke was killed later that same night.

The Story of George Marshall Clarke

Life in Milwaukee Back Then

In Milwaukee, many Irish-American families lived in the Historic Third Ward. They were mostly working-class people. They often competed for jobs with African Americans in the city.

Even though many Irish-Americans were working-class, they often supported the Democratic Party in the Northern United States. This party was mostly led by rich landowners in the South. Both groups, Irish-Americans and Southern Democrats, shared a belief in white supremacy. They were against the abolitionist movement, which wanted to end slavery, and the Republican Party. Republicans, on the other hand, sometimes looked down on Irish Catholic culture. This made the tension between Irish Democrats and African Americans even worse.

During the Civil War era, mob violence was not as common as it would become later. But the Irish-American community in Milwaukee sometimes used their own traditions of group violence. They saw collective and illegal violence, even against African Americans, as a way to keep things unequal and to keep African Americans from having equal rights.

Emotions were also very high on the day George Marshall Clarke was killed. It was just two days after the anniversary of the sinking of the Lady Elgin ship. Many important Irish-American leaders from Milwaukee had died in that accident. A lot of these leaders were part of the Milwaukee Guards, an Irish group that was against ending slavery. They supported the Fugitive Slave Act, even though the state government did not. The recent memory of the ship disaster made political tensions even stronger.

What Happened Next

After George Marshall Clarke was killed, political arguments continued between the Democratic and Republican parties. Each side tried to blame the other for causing the violence. Democrats said that the violence by the Irish was right. They also claimed it was caused by Republicans helping people who had escaped slavery. Republicans, however, pointed out that the Irish did not believe African Americans should have rights, like the right to a fair legal process.

Amidst this trouble, James Shelton was found and put on trial for the death of Darby Carney. To prevent another act of mob violence, James Shelton was moved to Chicago to wait for his trial. He was later found not guilty, as he argued he acted in self-defense.

About a month later, six Irishmen who were thought to be involved in the killing of Marshall Clarke were also put on trial. However, the jury could not agree on a decision, and the men were set free.

After these two trials, newspapers from both parties started arguing again. The Republican newspaper, the Milwaukee Daily Wisconsin, criticized the local court system for letting the men involved in the killing go free. The Daily Wisconsin suggested it was unlikely the jury could not agree, especially since some jurors might have known the people on trial.

In response, the Democratic newspaper, the Milwaukee News, criticized the Daily Wisconsin. The Milwaukee News argued that the Daily Wisconsin did not have the same strong feelings about James Shelton being found not guilty. The Milwaukee News said that "three of the same jurors" were on both trials, suggesting there was nothing wrong. The Milwaukee News also criticized the Daily Wisconsin for seeming to care more about the death of an "African American" than an "Irishman."

In June 1863, two years after George Marshall Clarke's death, another similar event happened in Newburgh, New York. An Irish crowd tried to punish an African American man named Robert Mulliner. They claimed he had attacked an Irishwoman. About fifty Irishmen, supported by hundreds more, gathered around the courthouse. They demanded that Robert Mulliner be given to them. A priest, two judges, and the district attorney tried to convince them to let the law handle it, but the crowd would not give up. The crowd eventually broke into the courthouse and killed Robert Mulliner.

Why This Event Matters

The killing of Marshall Clarke showed the racism that existed during the Civil War era. This racism was not only in the Southern United States but also in the North. The Democratic Party in the North was strongly supported by Irish immigrants. Like their Southern counterparts, they often protected ideas of white supremacy. This event also showed how mob violence became a way to protect these ideas. It was a sign of the many similar acts that would happen later during the Reconstruction period.

The deaths of Marshall Clarke and Robert Mulliner, among others, also highlight the unfair treatment of both African Americans and Irish Catholics at that time. This unfair treatment often led to the two groups resenting each other. African Americans were often linked with the Republican Party, while Irish people were linked with the Democratic Party. This made racial tensions unavoidable, as each group's political ties sometimes hurt the other group. These events also showed how the Civil War era made politics and social interactions in the North unstable. Irish Catholics sometimes sought revenge because of how they were treated. Ideas of white supremacy were also widely accepted in their communities and across the country.