People, Locations, Episodes

Sat, 09.22.1906

The Atlanta Race Riot Occurs

*On this date in 1906, The Atlanta Race Riot occurred. This tragedy resulted from bitter white hostility toward blacks after vague reports of Blacks harassing white women.

Over five days, at least ten black people were killed while Atlanta's police did nothing to protect Black citizens, going so far as to confiscate guns from Atlanta’s blacks while allowing whites to remain armed.  It was this and other events of hatred-based incidents during what was called the “Red Summers” in the early twentieth century.

They were part of a pattern of anti-black violence including several hundred lynchings each year for over two decades. France covered the story (image above) in this October 7, 1906 issue.

New Poem Each Day

Poetry Corner

If the drum is a woman why are you pounding your drum into an insane babble why are you pistol whipping your drum at dawn why are you shooting... IF THE DRUM IS A WOMAN by Jayne Cortez.
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