The 1917 Race Riot in Chester, Pennsylvania, began July 24, 1917, and continued until July 30, 1917.  It is considered unique from many other race riots of World War I and the interwar period because there were no accusations of police brutality, and city officials and police made strenuous efforts to prevent the lynching of blacks rather than participating in or ignoring the violence.  Chester’s mayor, Wesley S. McDowell, was ridiculed in the press for treating black and white rioters equally and received death from whites who wanted to “run the Negroes out of town.” Continue reading THE CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA RACE RIOT (1917)