Springfield race riot of 1908
| Springfield race riot of 1908 | |
|---|---|
| Part of the nadir of American race relations | |
Burned black residences in "The Badlands" | |
| Location | 39°48′17″N 89°38′31″W / 39.80472°N 89.64194°W Springfield, Illinois, US |
| Date | August 14–16, 1908 |
| Target | Black residents |
Attack type | Arson, assault, battery, lynching, rioting, mayhem, slashing, vandalism |
| Weapons |
|
| Deaths | 17 |
| Assailants | White mob |
No. of participants | c. 5,000 whites |
| Motive | False accusation, racial hoax, racial persecution, vigilantism, white supremacy |
| Charges |
|
| Convictions | 1 |
| Part of a series on |
| Nadir of American race relations |
|---|
The Springfield race riot of 1908 consisted of events of mass racial violence committed against African Americans by a mob of about 5,000 white Americans and European immigrants in Springfield, Illinois, between August 14 and 16, 1908. Two black men, Joe James and George Richardson, had been arrested. James was accused of murdering a white man and attempting to rape his daughter. Richardson was accused of raping a while woman, Mabel Hallam. When the sheriff had transferred the two suspects out of the city, white people began attacking black neighborhoods, killing black citizens, and destroyed black businesses and homes. The state militia was called out to quell the rioting.
At least 17 people died, including two who died by suicide. It was misreported for decades that only militia were responsible for white deaths and that more whites than black people had died. Personal and property damages, suffered overwhelmingly by black people, amounted to more than $150,000 (approximately $5 million in 2024), as dozens of black homes and businesses were destroyed, as well as three white-owned businesses.
As a result of the rioting, numerous black people left Springfield, but it is unclear how many moved away permanently. Although in the following months over 100 riot-related indictments were issued and some pleaded guilty to minor violations, only one alleged rioter went to trial and convicted for lesser offenses. Of the two accused black men, who were the initial focus of the lynch mob, James was eventually tried, convicted, and hanged; Richardson was set free. Hallam admitted that she had lied to cover up an assault by her husband after he found out she was having an affair.
The riot was a catalyst for the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which was organized to work on civil rights for African Americans. Near the 100th anniversary in 2008, the City of Springfield erected historical markers and a memorial statue. Part of the site of the riots was established as the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument in 2024.