Biden Names 1908 Springfield Race Riot Site a National Monument

President Biden has officially proclaimed the establishment of the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument in Illinois, commemorating a tragic event from 116 years ago when a White mob brutally attacked the local Black community. This symbolic act by the White House aims to honor the resilience shown by the Black community amid acts of severe oppression, amidst a current climate where some groups attempt to reshape historical narratives.

The newly designated monument encompasses one-and-a-half acres of federal land in Springfield, located just blocks from the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, which recalls President Abraham Lincoln’s life prior to his presidency. The site contains historical remnants, including five homes that were burned during the riots and never rebuilt, standing as a testament to the significant suffering endured by the community.

During the proclamation signing in the Oval Office, Biden emphasized the importance of remembering such historical injustices, stating that it is crucial for Americans to not forget, especially when there are efforts to erase these painful memories. “We have no safe harbor unless we continue to remind people what happened,” Biden said, flanked by civil rights activists. He expressed the need to ensure that these events do not fade into oblivion.

The declaration of this monument follows Congress’s inability to pass specific legislation for its designation. It also comes in the wake of a distressing incident involving the fatal shooting of an unarmed Black woman, Sonya Massey, by an Illinois sheriff’s deputy now charged with murder.

The Springfield race riots erupted in August 1908, triggered by the wrongful detention of two Black men, Joe James and George Richardson, who were incarcerated based merely on allegations from White accusers. On August 14, a gathering of approximately 5,000 young White men demanded the release of these men, intending to carry out a lynching. As authorities relocated the men to avert potential violence, rioters took to looting and burning Black-owned businesses and homes, leading to assaults on residents. By the end of the violence on August 16, two Black men, William Donnegan and Scott Burton, had been lynched.

The aftermath of the riots forced many Black families to abandon their homes and leave Springfield. Of the men involved, James was convicted of murder and executed, while Richardson was released after his accuser retracted her accusations of sexual assault.

This tragic event spurred national outrage which helped catalyze the founding of the NAACP, a pivotal organization in the fight for civil rights. According to the Biden administration, between 1882 and 1910, there were a staggering 2,503 recorded lynchings of Black individuals in the United States, underscoring the severity of racial violence during that period.

The National Park Service will take charge of managing the Springfield monument. Plans are in place for the service to collaborate with the local community to create educational experiences for visitors, ensuring that the lessons of history are not only remembered but also clearly communicated to future generations.

“We can give hate no safe harbor,” Biden reiterated during his remarks on the significance of the monument, reinforcing the message that it stands as a permanent reminder of the struggles against racial violence and injustice.

Source: CBS News