Program

Illinois State Historical Society

Subject

Event, People

Location

601 James R Thompson Blvd, East St Louis, IL 62201, USA

Lat/Long

38.621735960953, -90.162700759813

Grant Recipient

Illinois State Historical Society

HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS WERE BRUTALIZED 01 A DAY OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. WHITE RIOTERS LYNCHED, SHOT, AND BURNED INNOCENT BLACKS AND THIER HOMES, CASTING MANY BODIES INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THOUSANDS FLED THE CITY. ONE MAN TESTIFIED THAT HE DUNPED FIFTY CORPSES OVER A BRIDGE. THE REPORTED DEATH TOLL WAS 48, BUT THE ACTUAL NUMBER IS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD.

SOME WHO WERE SWORN TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC JOINED IN THE CARNAGE. OTHER OFFICALS IGNORED THE VIOLENCE UNFOLDING IN FRONT OF THEM. IT TOOK 12 HOURS FOR THE ILLINOIS STATE MILITIA TO RESTORE ORDER.

CONGRESS INVESTIGATED AND ISSUED A SCATHING REPORT ABOUT CORRUPTION AND LAWLESSNESS IN THE CITY. W.E.B. DEBOIS LED THE NAACP’$ INVESTIGATION. MARCUS GARNEY AND THEODORE ROOSEVELT SPOKE OUT ON THE ATROCITY. IDA B. WELLS VISITED THE RIOT SCENE. AFTER HELPING DISPLACED BLACKS, SHE PROVIDED A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT TO THE NEGRO FELLOWSHIP LEAGUE IN CHICAGO. THE WHITE RIOTORS WHO ORGANIZED THE SHOOTERS WERE SENTENCED TO PRISON. MOST OTHERS ESCAPED JUSTICE. HOWEVER, DR. LEROY BUNDY, A BLACK MAN, RECEIVED A LIFE SENTENCE FOR CAUSING THE RIOT. THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT RECOGNIZED THE INJUSTICE AND REMANDED THE CASE. FUNCTIONALLY SETTING HIM FREE. LIMITED REPARATIONS WERE PAID IN 1921 MAINLY TO WHITE BUSINESS OWNERS. THIS COMMUNITY STILL SEARCHES FOR JUSTICE.

SPONSORED BY
THE EAST ST. LOUIS HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY,
WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION, AND ANONYMOUS DONORS WHO CARE
NOVEMBER 2022