The 1917 East St. Louis Race Massacre
- Title
- The 1917 East St. Louis Race Massacre
- Description
- The East St. Louis Race Massacre of 1917 began due to racial and labor tension, which led to violence after African American men shot and killed two white police officers, who were mistaken as attackers. White mobs, who were already angry that African American migrants were employed as strikebreakers in local industries, attacked violently. This led to the burning of black neighborhoods, lynching, shooting, and drowning of innocent victims, all while authorities made no effort to intervene. At least 250 African Americans were killed, making it one of the deadliest acts of racial violence in US history. This archive contains photos and newspaper articles of the riot.
- Subject
- East St. Louis Race Massacre of 1917
- Race
- Racism
- African Americans
- Police Officers
- Civil Rights
- Racial Violence
- US History
- Race Relations
- Black and African American History
- Black St. Louis History and Experience
- St. Louis History
- Neighborhood History
- 1917 Race Riots East St. Louis
- Protest
- Hotel DeBreeze
- East St. Louis
Items
Explore individual items gathered for collections and exhibits centered around particular themes, people, places, or events.
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Crowd Stopping Streetcars at Collinsville Avenue and Broadway During the East St. Louis Race RiotsHorizontal, black and white photograph showing a crowd stopping streetcars at Collinsville Avenue and Broadway during the East St. Louis race riots. A caption attached to the photograph reads: "State Troops Establish Order in East St. Louis after Furious Riots. The photo shows the crowd stopping streetcars at Collinsville Avenue and Broadway, East St. Louis, where they hauled off and massacred passengers. The militia after steady and effective work quelled the rioters, but it was a hard task. 2000 Guardsmen patrol the streets today although comparative quiet reign. 7/5/17."