Macon, Mississippi, race riot

The Macon, Mississippi, race riot took place on June 7, 1919, in Macon, Mississippi. Members of the white community were angry that some people were organizing to fight for better work conditions and so beat, whipped and then forced them into exile.

Macon, Mississippi, race riot
Part of Red Summer
Topographical and political map of the state of Mississippi around Macon, 1921
DateJune 7, 1919
LocationMacon, Mississippi, United States

Background

Macon has a long history of its white community lynching members of its black community.

Riot

After hearing reports of black workers wanting to get better pay and work conditions a city marshal, a deputy sheriff, and a banker, accompanied by a white mob, attacked and beat several prominent blacks, including a school principal.[1] Their crime was rumors of them of trying to organize blacks. After looting stores, the mob ordered the victims to leave Macon and never return.[2] The News Scimitar reported it as the blacks were "taken across the river."[1] The Columbus Dispatch reported that some of the blacks forced into exile were first whipped by white mobs.[3]

Aftermath

It was one of 1919 Red Summer riots and is mentioned in Charles E. Haynes's influential report to Congress on them.[4]

Bibliography

Notes

  1. The News Scimitar 1919, p. 9.
  2. McWhirter 2011, p. 73.
  3. The Columbus Dispatch 1919, p. 1.
  4. The New York Times 1919.

References

  • McWhirter, Cameron (2011). Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and the Awakening of Black America. Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 9780805089066. - Total pages: 368
  • The Columbus Dispatch (June 8, 1919). "Race Trouble At Macon". The Columbus Dispatch. Columbus, Mississippi: Dispatch Print. and Pub. Co. pp. 1–8. ISSN 2576-814X. OCLC 15050737. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  • The News Scimitar (June 9, 1919). "Race Trouble Reported in Macon". The News Scimitar. Memphis, Tennessee: Gilbert D. Raine. pp. 1–14. ISSN 2473-3199. OCLC 39898320. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  • The New York Times (October 5, 1919). "For Action on Race Riot Peril". The New York Times. New York, NY: Adolph Ochs. ISSN 1553-8095. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved July 5, 2019.


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