New London riots of 1919 facts for kids
| Part of Red Summer | |
National news coverage of the New London riot of 1919
|
|
| Date | Late May and June 1919 |
|---|---|
| Location | New London, Connecticut |
| Participants | United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Coast Guard |
The New London riots of 1919 were a series of serious fights. These fights happened between white and Black Navy sailors and Marines. They were stationed in New London, Connecticut and Groton, Connecticut.
Contents
What Caused the New London Riots?
In 1919, white and Black sailors and Marines lived in separate areas. This was at the Naval submarine base in Groton, Connecticut. People in the area felt a lot of tension between different racial groups. This tension was high from May to June.
Early Confrontations
Several fights broke out between the two groups. Black sailors said that white sailors attacked them. White Marines said that Black sailors waited for them after dark. This happened when they crossed the Long Cove Bridge.
Police arrested two white sailors, sometimes called "Blue Jackets". After this, white sailors attacked the Hotel Bristol on Bank Street. Black sailors often spent their free time there. The white sailors threw a group of Black people out of the hotel. They also beat them on the street.
The police and fire departments were called. But they could not stop the fighting. Finally, the Marine Corps arrived. They were able to get things under control.
More Riots and Attention
On May 30, 1919, about 20 sailors and soldiers were arrested. Police officers, Marines, and firefighters made the arrests. The Greeneville Daily Sun newspaper reported on the events. It said the trouble started when "negro sailors" entered the Coast Guard Academy. They then attacked white sailors.
On June 29, 1919, another riot started. Again, the Marines had to step in to restore order. Author Jan Voogd wrote about these events. He believes this riot gained national attention for a specific reason. A fire hydrant was damaged by the Marine vehicles. This caused a disagreement between the submarine base and city officials. They argued over who would pay for the damage. This argument created official records. Voogd thinks there might have been other similar fights. But they were not recorded or noticed.
The Red Summer of 1919
The fights in New London were part of many similar events. These events happened across the United States in 1919. This period is known as the Red Summer. During this time, white groups attacked Black communities. This happened in more than 36 cities and counties.
Widespread Attacks
In most cases, white groups attacked Black neighborhoods. But in some places, Black community groups fought back. This happened especially in Chicago and Washington, D.C.. Many people died in rural areas. For example, during the Elaine Race Riot in Arkansas. It is thought that 100 to 240 Black people were killed. Five white people also died.
Other major events happened in 1919. The Chicago Race Riot killed 38 people. The Washington D.C. race riot killed 39 people. Both of these events also caused many injuries. And they led to a lot of damage to buildings and property.
