Colfax massacre on this site occurred the colfax riot in which three white men and 150 negroes were slain. The colfax massacre took place on easter sunday 1873, when a force of about 150 heavily armed whites assaulted an equal number of blacks, many of them militia members, holed up in the courthouse. Before the civil war, the land on which colfax stood was a sugar and cotton plantation. Bibliographic record and links to related information available from the library of congress catalog. In the decades since, the town of colfax, louisianaa bastion of racism and black povertyhas struggled with the. Colfax riot another version battle of colfax, james k. The colfax riot was the bloodiest single instance of racial violence in the reconstruction era in all of the united states. The exact figure to the people victimized was unknown since some people were secretly buried, while others were dumped continue reading colfax massacre. The colfax massacre leeanna keith oxford university press. The untold story of black power, white terror, and the death of reconstruction by leeanna keith. Grant appears to have set about to make the nation whole again after the civil war ended, but events in louisiana thwarted that effort. The colfax massacre, the supreme court, and the betrayal of reconstruction, on april, 1873easter sundaythe racial and political tensions already boiling in reconstructionera louisiana burst into decisive, open racial warfare.
Eight killers were convicted, a conviction overturned by the supreme court in 1875 in u. S attorney, by the name of james beckwith, who tries to get justice for those who died in the colfax massacre. I warn that this is going to be quite a bit darker than my normal videos. Although this is not exactly an untold story a phrase that should be banished from book titles in almost all cases, leeanna keith presents a wellresearched and interesting narrative that more. The total number of victims in the colfax massacre was impossible to determine. Step back is made possible by the generous contributions of viewers like you. Jul 29, 20 in all the south, leeanna keith writes in her book, the colfax massacre. Colfax is the site of the easter sunday 1873 massacre of 150 members of an allblack militia defending the towns courthouse against an assault by rampaging white supremacists. Apr, 2014 the colfax massacre, or colfax riot, as the events are termed on the 1950 state historic marker, occurred on easter sunday, april, 1873, in colfax, louisiana, the seat of grant parish, during confrontation between opposing political forces of the republicans and democrats. May 18, 2008 the hero of lanes book is james beckwith, the u. On easter sunday, 1873, in the tiny hamlet of colfax, louisiana, more than 150 members of an allblack republican militia, defending the towns courthouse, were slain by an armed force of rampaging white supremacists.
Yet i found it difficult to follow at many points because how large the scope was, mentioning so many names and giving the historys of so many different people that i had a hard time keeping all the information straight in my head. The slaughter prompted by the incoming artillery fire, about sixty africanamerican defenders ran into the nearby woods and river, and. The colfax massacre brings to light one of the most notorious, yet forgotten, events of the 1870sthe object of congressional investigations, a historic supreme court case, and a special address by president ulysses s. Colfax is situated in cotton country along the red river. Two new books recount how racists defrauded black voters in a louisiana town in 1872, and then attacked and killed those who resisted. We provide answers to over 2 million searches every day, helping 35 million users. Jan 10, 2018 the colfax massacre took place on easter sunday 1873, when a force of about 150 heavily armed whites assaulted an equal number of blacks, many of them militia members, holed up in the courthouse. It was one of many during the reconstruction period and had a longreaching impact. Whitepages is the largest and most trusted online phone book and directory. Klansmen rode throughout the south, torturing and killing african americans and the few whites.
The 1873 colfax massacre crippled the reconstruction era. As the story begins, a newly elected republican government, elected largely because of the vote of black men vested with voting rights for the first time, is struggling to take office against the incumbent democratic government. The battleturned massacre took place in the small town of colfax, louisiana as a clash between blacks and whites. Five new orleans street battle and the rise and fall of radical reconstruction, baton rouge. The colfax massacre, the supreme court, and the betrayal of reconstruction at. Books about the colfax massacre leeanna keith charles. Colfax will probably never build an obelisk to honor the massacres victims. Disputes over the 1872 election results had produced dual governments at. The colfax massacre was the deadliest and in several ways the most dismaying outbreak of political and racial violence during the reconstruction.
Also called the colfax riot, the violence erupted in grant parish courthouse in colfax, louisiana. The untold story of black power, white terror, and the death. On easter sunday, 1873, in the tiny hamlet of colfax, louisiana, more than 150 members of an allblack republican. The colfax massacre occurs african american registry. Feb 10, 2018 grant appears to have set about to make the nation whole again after the civil war ended, but events in louisiana thwarted that effort. The colfax, ca white pages phone book official site find. The untold story of black power, white terror, and the death of reconstruction leeanna keith on easter sunday, 1873, in the tiny hamlet of colfax, louisiana, more than 150 members of an allblack republican militia, defending the towns courthouse, were slain by an armed force of rampaging white supremacists. Colfax riot, colfax affair, colfax race riot, grant parish, william kellogg, race riot. In this aggressively argued book, keith the colfax massacre casts radical. Login or purchase this book to read the remaining sections. Three white men died in the confrontation, with at least one said to have been shot by his own side. Colfax and paramilitarism paper liberty chapel cemetery. Background today colfax, louisiana is a small town of around 1,500 with a population of close to 70percent black. This event on april, 1873 marked the end of carpetbag misrule in the south.
The first fulllength book to tell the history of the colfax massacre. It was, to quote the title of a 2009 book on the event, the day freedom died. Jan 28, 2008 if there was a single historical moment that effectively killed reconstruction and erased the gains blacks had made since the civil war, it was the day of the colfax massacre. But with his gripping book, charles lane has given them a memorial every bit as imposing. In last weeks column on the colfax massacre of 1873, i closed with a reference to barack obamas july 19 discussion of trayvon martin and the set of experiences and a history that doesnt go. Apr 16, 2017 colfax is the site of the easter sunday 1873 massacre of 150 members of an allblack militia defending the towns courthouse against an assault by rampaging white supremacists. The colfax massacre, or colfax riot, as the events are termed on the 1950 state historic marker, occurred on easter sunday, april, 1873, in colfax, louisiana, the seat of grant parish, during confrontation between opposing political forces of the republicans and democrats in the wake of the contested 1872 election for governor of louisiana and local offices, a group of white democrats. Colfax was an isolated nondescript hamlet about three hundred fifty miles northwest of new orleans. On this date in 1873, the colfax massacre happened. Nine of them were tried, but all were set free without penalty.
Keith documents the colfax massacre of april, 1873, in which 150 members of the allblack republican militia were killed by a mob of white supremacists in colfax, louisiana. The white league in louisiana was particularly brutal in its use of violence. The colfax massacre was more or less ignored until the 1920s, when local officials raised a monument honoring the three white men who died in. The supreme courts decision related to the colfax massacre effectively ended reconstruction. Interestingly, colfaxs white inhabitants managed to preserve that cannon, which stands outside the colfax courthouse to this day. The massacre caused the deaths of the more than one hundred the black militiamen and freedmen at the courthouse scene. The colfax massacre of 1873 november 25, 20 emily upton one comment in the early days of the united states, cotton and tobacco crops on the east coast are remembered as big contributors to the ongoing slave trade. The white league, a paramilitary group intent on securing white rule in louisiana, clashed with louisianas almost allblack state militia. May 18, 2008 colfax will probably never build an obelisk to honor the massacres victims.
The colfax massacre was one of the bloodiest instances of violence against black citizens in the u. Karl, who has been covering trump for decades and knows which buttons to push. As charles lane 2008 shows in his detailed study of the colfax massacre. Approximately 100 members were charged with felony conspiracy to deny an individuals constitutional rights. Hogue in 1873, in the town of colfax, louisiana, a thirteen day siege, battle, and massacre took place between black and white civil war veterans that played a critical role in destroying radical reconstruction, not only in grant parish and. Jan 11, 2019 the colfax massacre was one of the bloodiest instances of violence against black citizens in the u. Colfax riot easter sunday, april 12, 1873 the colfax massacre 1873 on april, 1873, violence erupted in colfax, louisiana.
Lane is a member of the washington post editorial board. In the wake of the contested 1872 election for governor of louisiana. On april, 1873, violence erupted in colfax, louisiana. In all the south, leeanna keith writes in her book, the colfax massacre. Thanks in part to klan intimidation of republican voters,white and black democrats had returned to power in alabama, virginia, tennessee, north carolina. Red river is a fictional account of the easter sunday 1873 massacre in colfax, louisiana. Massacre, sand creek massacre, and the massacre at wounded knee all come to mind as deadlier examples of nineteenth century racial violence, her larger point that the 1873 massacre spelled the end of radical reconstruction is especially useful. We use cookies on this site to enhance the visitor experience. On easter sunday in 1873, the white league, a paramilitary organization, shot approximately 100 black state militia members in a clash over a contested gubernatorial election in louisiana. Nov 25, 20 the colfax massacre of 1873 november 25, 20 emily upton one comment in the early days of the united states, cotton and tobacco crops on the east coast are remembered as big contributors to the ongoing slave trade. This was when the white league, a paramilitary group intent on securing white rule in louisiana, clashed with louisianas almost allblack state militia on easter sunday that year.
Three white league members died in the battle known as the colfax massacre. Leeanna keith gives readers both a gripping narrative account of that portentous day and a nuanced historical analysis of its farreaching repercussions. The supreme court overturned cruikshanks conviction, saying that the federal government could only regulate the actions of states regarding civil rights, it was up to the. Introduction colfax massacre occurred during the violent outcome of the civil war called the reconstruction era.
Explores the racial tensions that led to the fateful encounter. The history of whaling as an industry on this continent has been welltold in books, including some that have been bestsellers, but what hasnt been told is the story of whalings leaders of color in an era when the only other option was slavery. James beckwith and the colfax massacre the new republic. The massacre took place against the backdrop of racial tensions following the hotly contested louisiana governors. This paper has not been published, but some of the material is included in hogues book uncivil war. Leeanna keiths the colfax massacre is the first fulllength book to tell the history of this decisive event. Soon calhoun would have another role to play, to no avail. Sample articles the colfax riot the louisiana democrat, april 16, 1873, image 2.
Keiths book is attractively designed and delivers a genuine history of this. The colfax massacre goodreads meet your next favorite book. The colfax massacre was more or less ignored until the 1920s, when local officials raised a monument honoring the three white men who died in the attack on the courthouse, which called the battle. This is a bold revisionist book, sure to challenge the assumptions of anyone. The untold story of black power, white terror, and the death of reconstruction, willie calhoun was probably the greatest slave master ever to embrace the cause of black equality. This race riot is seen as the end of postreconstruction. Three whites and an estimated 150 blacks died in the conflict. Apr 02, 2016 this is the story of the colfax massacre. The day freedom died is a novel written by charles lane telling the story of a u. As the story begins, a newly elected republican government, elected largely because of the vote of black men vested with voting rights for the first time, is struggling to take.
No ones mind will be changed by karls book, but its a valuable report from. Keith begins her book with several meandering chapters that connect the events of 1873 with the. The colfax massacre was the single bloodiest event of all reconstructionera violence. Drawing on a huge body of documents, including eyewitness accounts of the massacre, as well as newly discovered evidence from the site itself, keith explores the racial tensions that led to the fateful encounter, during which. Apr, 2016 the colfax massacre was more or less ignored until the 1920s, when local officials raised a monument honoring the three white men who died in the attack on the courthouse, which called the battle. The colfax massacre happened at the courthouse of newly created grant parish, located in a town named after vice president schuyler colfax. The colfax massacre, the supreme court, and the betrayal of reconstruction. The authors attention to detail and understanding of the larger cultural and political picture surround the colfax massacre is astounding. This essay is adapted from his book the day freedom died. The untold story of black power, white terror, and the death of reconstruction. If there was a single historical moment that effectively killed reconstruction and erased the gains blacks had made since the civil war, it was the day of the colfax massacre. The colfax massacre, or colfax riot, occurred on easter sunday, april, 1873, in colfax, louisiana, the seat of grant parish, where an estimated 62153 black men were murdered by white southerners who had formed a militia. In the colfax louisiana massacre of 1873, 150 members of an allblack republican militia were killed by rioting white supremacists, many slaughtered as they tried to surrender. Whitepages provides the top free people search and tenant screening tool online with contact information for over 250 million people including cell phone numbers and complete background check data compiled from public records, white pages and other directories in all 50 states.
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