| October 15, 2002 |
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Atlanta 1906: A Race Riot
Examining  the paradox that is Atlanta, this site looks at the pivotal riot that left 12 dead and soured race relations in the city for decades. Following the Civil War, Atlanta was considered a progressive city and was home to several black colleges and black-owned businesses. However, Georgia's Jim Crow laws were securely in place and restricted African-Americans' liberties. Into this combustible situation came the 1906 gubernatorial campaign, when "Negro disfranchisement" became a major issue. Race-baiting by politicians and the city's four daily newspapers ignited racial tensions. In September of that year, the media whipped the white public into a fury with questionable reports of a black crime wave, and mobs of white men attacked blacks throughout the city. An interactive Flash map chronicles the riot, and includes the eyewitness accounts of 13-year-old Walter White, future head of the NAACP. The post-riot unease led to a revival of racism in Atlanta, and the eventual rebirth of the KKK. The turning points section fleshes out Atlanta's history, both before and after the riot. (in U.S. History) |
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