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 Massacre of 1908 was a terrible event of racial violence that happened in Springfield, Illinois. From August 14 to 16, 1908, a large group of about 5,000 white Americans attacked Black people living in the city.
This violence started after two Black men were arrested. They were accused of attacking two white women and the father of one of them. A large group of white people gathered, wanting to harm these men. But the sheriff had already moved the men out of the city to keep them safe. When the crowd found out, they became very angry. They then turned their anger towards other Black residents. They attacked Black neighborhoods, hurt Black citizens, and destroyed Black businesses and homes. The state's military, called the militia, had to be brought in to stop the violence.
This event is important because it showed how complicated race, social class, and justice were in the United States. An NPR report in 2008, 100 years after the event, pointed out that this violence happened in a Northern state, Illinois, which was known as "The Land of Lincoln" (Abraham Lincoln, who ended slavery, was from Illinois). This showed that Black people faced unfair treatment all over the country, not just in the Southern states. It became an example of the bigger story of race in America.
At least 16 people died because of the violence: nine Black residents and seven white residents who were part of the attacking group. For many years, it was wrongly reported that more white people died than Black people, and that only the military caused white deaths. The damage to homes and businesses, mostly belonging to Black people, was huge. It was more than $150,000 at the time, which would be about $4 million today. Dozens of Black homes and businesses were destroyed. Three white-owned businesses were also ruined because their owners were thought to support Black people.
After the violence, many Black residents left Springfield, but it's not clear how many moved away for good. In the months that followed, over 100 people were accused of being involved in the violence. Some admitted to minor wrongs, but only one person who was part of the attacking group was found guilty of a lesser crime. Of the two Black men who were first accused, one was later found guilty and executed, while the other was set free. In 2008, around the 100th anniversary, the city of Springfield put up historical markers and a memorial statue to remember the event. The violence also helped lead to the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), an organization formed to fight for civil rights for African Americans.
What Led to the Violence?
In 1908, Springfield was a busy city and a major travel center. It was connected by train to other big cities like Indianapolis and Louisville. Illinois is often seen as a small example of the whole U.S., and Springfield, with about 45,000 people, was considered an "average American community." Most people living there were working-class.
Springfield was a fast-growing industrial city. It had the highest percentage of African Americans compared to other cities of its size in Illinois. At this time, there was a lot of tension between different racial groups. People were competing for jobs, and Black workers were sometimes used to replace striking workers, which caused more anger.
On July 4, 1908, something terrible happened at the home of Clergy Ballard, a mining engineer. Ballard woke up and found a man near his daughter's bed. The person ran away, and Ballard chased him. Ballard was badly hurt and later died. Before he passed away, he said the attacker was Joe James, a Black man who had been in trouble for small crimes before. White citizens in the town were very angry about this. A crowd of white people caught James and beat him until he was unconscious. The police saved James, arrested him, and put him in the city jail.
On Friday, August 14 of that year, the local Illinois State Journal newspaper published a story about a white woman named Mabel Hallam. She claimed that a local Black man, George Richardson, had attacked her the night before. Police arrested Richardson and also took him to the city jail.
The Crowd's Actions
Later on August 14, a large group of white citizens gathered in downtown Springfield. They were very angry that two Black men were accused of serious crimes against white people. The crowd demanded that the police release the prisoners to them. However, Sheriff Charles Werner managed to secretly move the two men from the jail to safety in nearby Bloomington.
When the crowd found out that the two Black prisoners were gone, they turned their anger towards other Black people in Springfield. They went to Fishman's Hardware, a store owned by a Jewish businessman, and stole weapons. They used these weapons to destroy homes and businesses. Then the crowd moved to an area called the Levee, where many African American businesses were located, and destroyed many of them.
As the crowd moved towards another Black neighborhood called the Badlands, they met a Black barber named Scott Burton. He tried to protect his business by firing a warning shot from a shotgun, but the crowd killed him.
The crowd then set fire to Black-owned homes in the Badlands. By this time, about 12,000 people had gathered to watch the houses burn. When firefighters arrived, people in the crowd blocked them and cut their hoses. African American citizens had to run away from the town, find safety with white people who helped them, or hide in the State Arsenal. The National Guard finally arrived and was able to make the crowd leave late that night.
The next day, Saturday, August 15, thousands of Black residents were leaving the city. Five thousand National Guard troops marched in to keep the peace. Many curious people and tourists who had read about the events in the newspaper also came to see what was happening. But the peace didn't last long. A new crowd formed and started marching towards the State Arsenal, where many Black residents were staying for safety. When a National Guardsman confronted them, the crowd changed direction. Instead, they walked to the home of 84-year-old William Donnegan, a Black resident. Even though he had done nothing wrong, Donnegan had been married to a white woman for 32 years. When Donnegan came outside, the crowd captured him and lynched him, which means they killed him by hanging.
After the Violence
The violence stopped after this, leaving 40 homes and 24 businesses destroyed. Seven people were confirmed dead: two Black men and five white people who were killed during the events. Some of the white people were shot by Black residents who were defending their homes and businesses. There were also rumors of more deaths that were not officially reported.
A special group called a grand jury looked into the events and accused 107 people of being involved in the violence. However, only one person was found guilty of a crime.
As a direct result of the Springfield Race Massacre, a meeting was held in New York City to talk about solutions to racial problems in the U.S. This meeting led to the creation of the NAACP, a very well-known organization that works for civil rights.
Today, visitors to Springfield, Illinois, can take a tour to see nine historical markers that explain important moments from the 1908 Springfield Race Massacre.
