As more and more africanamericans moved from the south to the industrial north, they started to move into predominantly white neighborhoods. It flowed in small towns like elaine, arkansas, in. Red summer, united states, 1919 neeno major reference. Violent and bloody race riots engulfed towns and cities across the nation. Red summer summer of 1919 brought race riots, began in july when whites invaded a black section of longview, texas and burned shops and houses.
In 1918 there was already unrest when for four days starting july 25, there was a race riot in chester and philadelphia. Chicago race riot of 1919, most severe of approximately 25 race riots throughout the u. The red summer refers to the summer and early autumn of 1919, which was marked by hundreds of deaths and higher casualties across the united states, as a result of race. For more information on this or other red summer race riots, see race riots and resistance. Jun 20, 2019 during the red summer of 1919, a wave of whitesupremacist terrorist attacks was unleashed on black americans. Chicago in the red summer of 1919 internet archive. Media in category red summer of 1919 the following 6 files are in this category, out of 6 total. Side chicago beach and thus ignited a long and fearfully. The article is credible and i feel that, although scholarly, it doesn t use as much specific language as others, making it slightly easier to read.
While lynchings and riots were not new concepts, the sheer magnitude and frequency of the events were what made the red summer of 1919 unique. The prelude the red summer of 1919 as a result of ww1, communists seized russia many americans feared this fear of communism led to strikes seattle general strike shipyard workers went on strike in seattle largest citywide strike mass. The red summer consisted of numerous race riots in various cities and towns in america. The chicago race riot of 1919 was a violent racial conflict provoked by white americans against black americans that began on the south side of chicago, illinois on july 27, and ended on august 3, 1919. The same report said brown suspected scott and the ruffins of running a still. The course was taught by professor brick in fall 2011 for gods sake arm. Red summer hardcover the summer of 1919 and the awakening of black america. Mitchell palmer, the justice department announced the formation of. In most instances, whites attacked african americans. Lacking external controls the nations economy ran away with itself. In the fiveandonehalf months from april 14 to october 1, 1919, race riots bloodied the streets of 22 cities and towns throughout the country. An excerpt from chicago race riots, a 1919 analysis of. The summer of 1919 was termed red summer by naacp leader james weldon johnson.
The red summer of 1919 thought provoking perspectives. In the summer of 1919, over 20 race riots broke out across the nation. Jul, 2012 blood red summer of 1919 white house historical association. Lightfoot, and leaders from across the city, today formally commemorated the 100th anniversary of the 1919 chicago race riots, known as red summer, during a. An excerpt from chicago race riots, a 1919 analysis of the. The summer of 1919 and the awakening of black america. The red summer of 1919 fifteeneightyfour cambridge. Black soldiers were lynched after world war i during the red summer of 1919. The crisis, november 1917, 20, may 1918, 21, june 1918, 5960, 72. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading red summer. During that season, there were at least 25 major riots and mob actions across the country, according to cameron mcwhirters red summer.
Whites also threw stones at an african american teenager swimming near the beach to prevent him. Kruglers excellent research focuses on the armed defense of the red summer of 1919 and how black people also utilized their newspapers and litigation strategies to assert their humanity. Edgar hoover and the red summer of 1919 journal of. On a hot july day, african americans went to a whitesonly beach. In the fall of 1919, a report on the causes and scope of red summer concluded that the persistence of unpunished lynching contributed to a mob mentality among white men and fueled a new commitment to selfdefense among black men.
Race riots during the red summer of 1919 thoughtco. Lastly, there was the devastating spanish flu pandemic of 1918 1919 which killed off then percent of the total human population on the planet in just six months. Jul 26, 2019 despite the events of the red summer, 1. Oct 08, 2017 in 1919 more than 20 different racially violent events took place throughout the united states, from may of 1919 to october of 1919. Only voters could serve on juries, and white juries rarely convicted individuals or groups accused of mob violence against african americans. Over the week, injuries attributed to the episodic confrontations stood at 537, with twothirds of the injured being black and. The red summer refers to the summer and fall of 1919, in which race riots exploded in a number of cities in both the north and south. The summer of 1919 was a time of restless transition. Lack ing widespread support, the strike ended in 1920.
Undergraduate honors thesis visualizing the red summer. Red summer 1919 denied the right to vote, postreconstruction southern blacks were powerless against atrocities like lynching. Views of a negro during the red summer of 1919 holly. The chicago race riot of 1919, the most intense of the riots that comprised the red summer of violence across the nations cities, has shaped the last century but is unfamiliar or altogether unknown to many people today. It was a lash out against the growth of blacks in cities. More than two dozen american communities, mostly urban areas or industrial centers, saw racial violence in the summer and early fall of 1919. From february to november, white mobs and gangs carried out antiblack riots and lynchings to uphold the status quo as they saw it and keep black americans in their place. When things finally settled down 3 black and 2 white people had died from their injuries.
Jul 23, 2019 america in the summer of 1919 ran red with blood from racial violence, and yet today, 100 years later, not many people know it even happened. Edgar hoover and the red summer of 1919 41 subversion and it was blamed for widespread industrial unrest in 1919 and a spate of bombings. Whites also threw stones at an african american teenager swimming near the beach to prevent him from coming ashore, and he drowned. Request permission export citation add to favorites track citation. Apr 08, 2019 some of americas most notorious racist riots happened 100 years ago this summer.
The centennial of red summer is a pivotal moment against. Red summer of 1919, a riot broke out at chicagos 29th street beach. The three most violent episodes occurred in chicago. Red summer of 1919 historical amnesia, without remedy. Were black wwi veterans in uniform lynched during the red. The first red scare was a period during the early 20thcentury history of the united states marked. James weldon johnson dubbed the violence, which included at least 76 lynchings and 25 race riots, red summer for the. After world war one, black americans fervently hoped for a new epoch of peace, prosperity, and equality. The jimmy carter presidential library welcomes wall street journal reporter c am mcwhirter rd on wednesday, august 3 at 7pm. In some cases groups of blacks fought back, notably in chicago, where, along with washington, d.
Red summer is the period which covers the late winter, spring, summer, and early autumn of. The red summer of 1919 civil rights leader james weldon johnson used the term red summer to describe the summer of 1919. The riot that began on july 27 had its immediate origin in a fight. Governor fired all police officers who went on strike american legion new organization for returning soldiers who promised to uphold. Chicago race riot of 1919 united states history britannica. Chicago race riots of 1919 lesson plan central historical question. This is a contribution to the documentation of black agency in the face of white supremacist violence and lynching during arguably the most dangerous. Red summer the summer of 1919 and the awakening of black america a narrative history of americas deadliest episode of race riots and lynchings. The red summer of 1919, peter lang publishing group, 2008 by jan voogd. Red summer remembered saje mathieu and cameron mcwhirter duration.
On june 4th, two days after the bombing of the home of the new attorney general, a. The black worker in chicago, 1894 1919, labor history, 10 summer 1969, 408 32. Apr 17, 2019 during the red summer of 1919, white mobs attacked african americans in six cities, deadly episodes of collective violence that often lasted for days. Daley, who served as chicagos powerful mayor from 1955 until his death in 1976, was a 17yearold member of an irishamerican organization called the hamburg.
Omaha and the red summer of 1919 world war i was over, but the nation was not at peace. During the red summer of 1919, white mobs attacked african americans in six cities, deadly episodes of collective violence that often lasted for days. It shows how the riots transcended any particularity of cause, and in doing so calls into question many longstanding beliefs about racial violence. The red summer of 1919 refers to a series of race riots that took place between may and october of that year. News11 red summer author at carter library the story of the. The conclusion of the summer of 1919 would not be the end of mass violence against black americansfar. Edgar hoover and the red summer of 1919 cambridge core. Prelude to the chicago race riot of 1919, journal of negro history, 55 1970, 266 89.
In the summer and fall of 1919, mass rioting broke out in 26 us cities, including. The collection includes documents i acquired from over 20 different collections across the country. The red summer archive below is a collection of primary sources related to the red summer of 1919. Red summer is the period which covers the late winter, spring, summer, and early autumn of 1919, because it was marked by hundreds of deaths and many casualties across the united states, which resulted from antiblack white supremacist terrorist attacks that occurred in more than three dozen cities and one rural county. The elaine massacre is part of the red summer of 1919. The summer of 1919 and the awakening of black america kindle edition by mcwhirter, cameron. Jul 03, 2012 the red scare was not synonymous with the red summer but the former informed the latter. Chicagos riot, one of the worst, lasted a week and claimed the lives of 38 men 23 black, 15 white. Available from online booksellers, direct from the publisher, or ask your local bookshop to order.
Textbook in the summer of 1919, over 20 race riots broke out across the nation. Ware, politics, and social reform in the us, 19011950. The year 1919 was a time of unemployment, food shortages, violent strikes, fears of a communist uprising, and white mobs waging war on black communities in washington dc, chicago, and dozens of other cities. Chicago race riots documents document a textbook in the. Edgar hoover and the red summer of 1919 msu history. Confronting a national epidemic of white mob violence, 1919 was a time when black people in the united states.
Red summer describes the race riots that occurred in more than three dozen cities in the united states during the summer and early autumn of 1919. Available from online booksellers, directly from the publisher, or place an order with your local bookstore. Tuttle, contested neighborhoods and racial violence. Heavily armed motorcycle and foot policemen chicago 1919. The events were so violent that this time span became known as the red summer. Hundreds of black deaths during 1919s red summer are being. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. An excerpt from chicago race riots, a 1919 analysis of the race riots in chicago during the red summer. Textbook in the summer of 1919, over 20 race riots. The founding of the union led to the elaine massacre that left somewhere between 250 to 850 black people dead and four or five white men dead. For more information about the riots of the red summer of 1919, see race riots and resistance. One of the first victims of red summer in washington, d. The most serious racial outbreak occurred in chicago late in. The violence would later come to be known as the red summer of 1919, a name that reflected the severity of the riots as well as its relevance to its believed cause.
819 666 1552 340 398 1436 1630 29 1343 612 992 1246 1499 522 1458 1444 984 401 1008 1316 31 1041 595 1115 1206 490 1236 1317 811 243