In 1739, a slave uprising in South Carolina led to the deaths of sixty people. Led by Jemmy, an Angolan, twenty slaves rebelled on the Stono River, resulting in armed conflict and subsequent control measures by the authorities. The uprising’s causes are linked to a malaria epidemic, a recent security act, and the imbalance of white and black populations. Continue reading Revisit: STONO REBELLION (1739)
In 1919, a racial massacre in Elaine, Arkansas resulted in over 200 African Americans and five whites being killed. The violence sparked public campaigns and drew attention from civil rights groups. After a tense meeting, a white mob targeted the black community, leading to arrests and mistreatment. The NAACP and attorney Scipio Africanus Jones worked to secure the release of those wrongly convicted. Continue reading Revisit: ELAINE, ARKANSAS RIOT (1919)
Frazier Baker, the first African American postmaster of Lake City, South Carolina, faced violent opposition and racial hostility from white residents. Despite unfounded accusations of incompetence, Baker’s efforts to protect his family and fulfill his duties were met with tragedy as he and his young daughter were killed in a home set ablaze by a white mob. The perpetrators escaped justice, prompting Baker’s widow to relocate, only to face further hardships, including the loss of several children to illness. Continue reading Revisit: LYNCHING OF JULIA AND FRAZIER BAKER (1898)
The Thibodaux Massacre took place in Thibodaux, Louisiana on November 23, 1887. Black sugar cane workers, determined to unionize for a living wage, chose to combine their minimal power during the crucial harvest season. Instead, their actions sparked a massacre. With echoes of the bondage their ancestors had experienced during slavery, the cane workers protested the harsh working conditions, long hours, and starvation wages. They … Continue reading Revisit: THE THIBODAUX MASSACRE (NOVEMBER 23, 1887)
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