Springfield, Illinois, Race Riot – Spurs Organization of NAACP
A major race riot erupted on this day in Springfield, Illinois. The riot lasted two days, leaving at least sixteen people dead (nine African Americans and seven whites) and property damage estimated at about $4 millions in today’s terms.
As was true of many other race riots and lynchings, the Springfield riot was sparked by allegations of rape of a white woman by an African American and other violent crimes. After two African American suspects were arrested and held in the local jail a mob of between 3,000 and 5,000 whites assembled outside the jail. The commander of the Third Division of the Illinois National Guard was summoned, but the sheriff told him the situation was not serious. As a precaution, one company of the National Guard was held in reserve. The sheriff then enlisted Harry Loper, a wealthy individual with one of the few automobiles in the city, to take the two suspects to the jail in Bloomington, about 65 miles away.
Angered that the removal of the suspects, the mob began turned violent (including attacking Loper’s restaurant). The racist mob then moved through town, chanting “Curse the day that Lincoln freed the niggers;” “No niggers in Springfield;, and Kill ’em on sight.” The mob attacked the pawnshop owned by Reuben Fishman, who was Jewish, accusing him of selling guns to African Americans; it ransacked his shop, stealing his stock of guns and ammunition, and setting the building on fire. The orgy of violence moved on to African American areas, destroying over 30 African-American-owned businesses. At least two individual African Americans were lynched.
Order was eventually restored by the presence of about 3,700 armed soldiers on August 15th. Over the next few days, an estimated 10,000 out-of-town tourists came to Springfield to view the destruction. A large number of African Americans fled the city for good. Over two hundred people were arrested for various crimes, including four police officers. About 10 percent of those arrested were African American.
The riot had a national impact, and a post-riot meeting in New York City led to the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) the following year.
Learn about the 1908 Springfield race riot at BlackPast
Learn more about the riot
Visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture here