Some 6,000 African Americans were left homeless after their neighborhoods were burned. But just eight miles east of the Gateway Arch is what a rchaeologists believe to be the ancient city of Cahokia. McLaughlin, Malcolm. A number of black people left the city permanently; black enrollment in public schools in the area had dropped by 35% by the time schools opened in the fall. QuickFacts East St. Louis city, Illinois. [27] Marcus Garvey, black nationalist leader of the UNIA from Jamaica, declared in a July 8 speech that the riot was "one of the bloodiest outrages against mankind" and a "wholesale massacre of our people", insisting that "This is no time for fine words, but a time to lift one's voice against the savagery of a people who claim to be the dispensers of democracy. Invests $200,000 into East St. Louis. [27] The NAACP had arranged for journalists to photograph the destruction in East St. Louis left behind after the massacre: houses, stores, churches, and brick warehouses were all left in ruins. A famous urban destination spot for the St. Louis metropolitan with gentlemen clubs and nightclubs, but the Ill Side, which represents St Louis’ only section that is in the state of Illinois, is a community that has many misunderstandings, especially within the East St Louis … Black residents, possibly assuming this car held the original attackers, opened fire on the car, killing one officer instantly and mortally wounding another. On 11 April we celebrated some of the outstanding citizens of East St. Louis. EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) — Some residents are concerned that toxic chemicals may be polluting their air. Parking is easy, and nearby highways, such as US Highway 50, are very easy to drive to from any home in East Saint Louis. Read a message from East St. Louis City Manager Brooke Smith. [7] Ethnicities competed economically to survive. Although rumors circulated that blacks were planning retaliatory attacks,[10] conditions eased somewhat for a few weeks. Blacks were arriving in St. Louis at the rate of 2,000 per week during the spring of 1917. "[31], Congressman Leonidas C. Dyer (R-Mo. [15] From there they rushed into the black sections of town, south and west of the city, and began rioting. [25] While the local coroner had documented nine white deaths, the deaths of African-American victims were less clearly recorded. [12] The tensions between black workers and white workers quickly formed again as no solutions to their economic challenges were agreed upon. After cutting the water hoses of the fire department, white rioters burned entire sections of the city and shot black residents as they escaped the flames. Dynegy, Inc. Another 6,000 black people were left homeless[1] and the burning and vandalism cost approximately $400,000 ($7,982,000 in 2021) in property damage. [5] The neighboring communities of St. Louis, Missouri, and East St. Louis, Illinois, both became destinations for southern migrants. Read More. (East St. Louis, Ill.) 1958-1964: East St Louis Probate Records. We have reviews of the best places to see in East Saint Louis. Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about. "[citation needed], Hearings on the massacre before the Committee on Rules and the House of Representatives began on August 3, 1917. Contact Us. President Woodrow Wilson wrote to him on July 28, saying that special agents of the Department of Justice could not find enough evidence to justify federal action in the matter. EAST ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) - A 15-year-old girl from Barnhart, Mo. Patrick, "The Horror of the East St. Louis Massacre". CALLAWAY COUNTY — A woman from East St. Louis was fatally struck Friday night by a vehicle on Interstate 70 in mid-Missouri, authorities said. They carried signs that highlighted protests about the massacre. Roosevelt also was reported to say, "I will go to the extreme to bring justice to the laboring man, but when there is murder I will put him down. [17]. [30], In a mass meeting in Carnegie Hall on July 12 in New York City, Samuel Gompers, the president of the American Federation of Labor, tried to diminish the role in the massacre attributed to trade unions. "[22][10], Few photographs exist of the events, as rioters attacked photographers and destroyed their cameras, and city police harassed journalists. The East St. Louis Riots were a series of outbreaks of labor- and race-related violence by White Americans who murdered between 40 and 250 African-Americans in late May and early July 1917. When you think pyramids, you think of Egypt or Mexico — not Illinois. QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more. Women and children were dressed in white; the men were dressed in black. On Jan. 13, police in East St. Louis … The July 1917 episode in particular was marked by white-led violence throughout the city. East St. Louis, IL Used to Be an Ancient City with Pyramids. A Congressional Investigating Committee, which met in the fall of that year, concluded that no precise death toll could be determined, but reported that at least 8 whites and 39 African Americans died. St Louis is home to a variety of attractions, activities & events for all ages. The events took place in and near East St. Louis, Illinois, an industrial city on the east bank of the Mississippi River, directly opposite the city of St. Louis, Missouri. It was a rough industrial city where saloons outnumbered schools and churches. East St. Louis 2 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in East St. Louis, Illinois Illinois Governor Frank Orren Lowden called in the National Guard to suppress the violence. How can I ascertain if an item is going before the Council. An hour later, a Ford containing four people, including a journalist and two police officers (Detective Sergeant Samuel Coppedge and Detective Frank Wadley), passed through the same area. East Saint Louis Tourism: Tripadvisor has 769 reviews of East Saint Louis Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best East Saint Louis resource. "E. St. Louis Riot.". They were outraged about the rioting and accused the mayor of having allowed a "reign of lawlessness." Louis. EAST ST. LOUIS — The family of the 24-year old woman who was found shot to death on her front porch in East St. Louis says it wants better communication … Activists who disputed the committee's conclusions about deaths argued that the true number of deaths would never be known because many black corpses were not recovered or did not pass through the hands of undertakers, who reported to the coroner. [citation needed], The massacre was precipitated by fatal errors. [19] St. Louis institutions worked to assist the refugees, including the St. Louis chapter of the Red Cross, the Provident Association, and the Jewish Education and Charitable Association, as well as related charities. To the youths who march onward and upward to the light. East St. Louis UnSung Heros. We use cookies on this site to enhance the experience. Theodore Roosevelt, former president of the United States, responded, "Mr. Gompers, why don't I accuse afterwards? [19], Political cartoon about the East St. Louis massacre of 1917. The police chief estimated that 100 African Americans had been killed. Interstate 64 takes the most direct route into the city center. East St. Louis, Illinois 750 Missouri Avenue East St. Louis, IL 62201 (618) 482-9371 View Map. These photographs were published in the November 1917 issue of The Crisis, the organization's magazine. It lies along the Mississippi River opposite St. Louis, Missouri. [32] Another source said that a total of nine whites and twelve blacks were convicted of serious crimes and sent to prison. Another 6,000 blacks were left homeless and the burning and vandalism cost approximately $400,000 ($7,982,000 in 2021) in property damage. The girls were brandishing clubs and calling upon the men to kill the woman. The New York Times reported that "ten or fifteen young girls about 18 years old, chased a negro woman at the Relay Depot at about 5 o'clock. In addition to the high death toll, the massacre had caused extensive property damage to city businesses and houses. Read a message from East St. Louis Mayor Robert Eastern III. On 11 April we celebrated some of the outstanding citizens of East St. Louis. [6] Total property damage was estimated at $400,000[1] (nearly $8.5 million, in 2018 US Dollars). East St. Louis, a city in Southern Illinois, is commonly abbreviated ESL.. Get in [] By road []. Next Previous. [8][5] The Springfield race riot of 1908 in nearby Springfield, Illinois, was an expression of the simmering tensions in the region during the nadir of race relations. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in February. Find homes for sale and real estate in East St. Louis, IL at realtor.com®. The Red Cross Emergency Committee met daily with Acting Mayor Aloe, members of his administration, and representatives of the charities to discuss how to aid the refugees. He said that an investigation was needed in order to place blame. [5], Governor Lowden ordered in the Illinois National Guard, who arrived on July 3. On July 1, a black Ford Model T[13] occupied by white males drove through a black area of the city; passengers fired several shots into a group on the street. [18], Hundreds of blacks fled across the Eads Bridge over the Mississippi River to St. Louis to escape the violence, while 1,500 sought refuge in city buildings. Browse photos, see new properties, get open house info, and research neighborhoods on Trulia. ", This page was last edited on 8 February 2021, at 09:48. [5] This result only exacerbated the growing racial tension. [3], At the end of July, some 10,000 black citizens marched in silent protest in New York City in condemnation of the massacre. East St Louis Lincoln High School Alumni Class List . While it attracts a few visitors who come mainly for gambling, East St. Louis is definitely not your typical travel destination. Nearby National City had stockyards and meatpacking plants, attracting more workers. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: All the impartial witnesses agree that the police were either indifferent or encouraged the barbarities, and that the major part of the National Guard was indifferent or inactive. ", referring to President, Malcolm McLaughlin, "Reconsidering the East St Louis Race Riot of 1917. Ninety-five percent are black. Information. "[23], After the massacre, varying estimates of the death toll circulated. City of East St. Louis 301 River Park Drive East St. Louis, IL 62201 Phone: 618-482-6600; The multi-day massacre has been described as the "worst case of labor-related violence in 20th-century American history",[2] and among the worst racial massacres in U.S. history. The Southern Railway Company's warehouse was burned, with the loss of more than 100 car loads of merchandise, worth more than $525,000 to the company; some 44 freight cars, and 312 houses were also burned. East Saint Louis is reasonably transit friendly due to many train stations on the Blue Line and Red Line, and about 10 nearby bus lines. The representatives of the Department of Justice are so far as possible lending aid to the State authorities in their efforts to restore tranquility and guard against further outbreaks. To stay updated on the latest news and events, please subscribe to the East Side Aligned email newsletter. East St. Louis has a population of 26,000. Search and filter East St. Louis homes by price, beds, baths and property type. [citation needed], Following the May disorder, the East St. Louis Central Labor Council requested an investigation by the State Council of Defense. [21][24] The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) estimated deaths at 100–200. The march was organized by the NAACP (then based in New York), leader W. E. B. He said that Mayor Mollman of East St. Louis was also visiting the city that week, and city leaders asked for his assistance to help discourage black migration to the North.[6]. Black people make up half the confirmed COVID-19 cases in St… Things to Do in East Saint Louis, Illinois: See Tripadvisor's 769 traveler reviews and photos of East Saint Louis tourist attractions. In the aftermath, the East St. Louis Chamber of Commerce called for the resignation of the local police chief because officers were told not to shoot white citizens and were unable to suppress the violence and destruction. ), a representative from a St. Louis urban district, asked for a federal investigation. No organized effort was made to protect the Negroes or disperse the murdering groups. East St. Louis, commonly abbreviated as "ESL", is a city in Southern Illinois directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis.It is a sprawling city with 26,708 inhabitants (2012). Included among the defendants was Dr. LeRoy Bundy, a black dentist and prominent leader in the East St. Louis black community. He said: "I am informed that the attorney general of the State of Illinois has gone to East St. Louis to add his efforts to those of the officials of the county and city in pressing prosecutions under the State laws. In the spring of 1917, the mostly white workers of the Aluminum Ore Company in East St. Louis voted to strike. Where can I find information about the laws of the City? "Race Rioters Fire East St. Louis and Shoot or Hang Many Negroes", Mass racial violence in the United States, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, List of incidents of civil unrest in the United States, "The NEGRO SILENT PROTEST PARADE organized by the NAACP Fifth Ave., New York City July 28, 1917", "Race hatred, workforce tensions explode in East St. Louis in 1917", "NAACP | Silent Protest Parade Centennial", Oscar Leonard, "The East St. Louis Pogrom", "The East St. Louis Race Riot Left Dozens Dead, Devastating a Community on the Rise", Danny Wicentowski, "Remember the East St. Louis Race War", "The Silent Parade of 1917: Why the Forgotten March Matters", "Look Back 250: Worker struggles, racial hatred in East St. Louis explodes in white rioting", "Calculate the value of $400,000 in 1917", "Primary Sources: The Conspiracy Of The East St. Louis Riots", Look Back 250: "Worker struggles, racial hatred in East St. Louis explodes in white rioting", Riot at East St. Louis, Illinois : hearings before the Committee on Rules, Democratic National Convention protest activity, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=East_St._Louis_riots&oldid=1005564241, Racially motivated violence against African Americans, United States home front during World War I, White American riots in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from September 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, White mobs angered by the increasing numbers of Southern, African-Americans beaten to death, shot, lynched and driven into burning buildings by whites, Heaps, Willard A. Selena Templeton. I'll answer now, when murder is to be answered." Du Bois, and groups in Harlem. EAST ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) – A St. Louis man is facing charges after a body was found near the Poplar Street Bridge earlier this month, police say. In East St. Louis, local politicians, company foremen, and labor union officials fanned the resentment; the approval of the local police and National Guard were later considered important in helping to escalate the rioting. [5] Non-whites were initially a small minority: in 1910, approximately 6,000 African Americans lived in East St. Louis, out of a total population of 58,000; by 1917, the black population had increased to 10,000, or one-sixth of the total population of 60,000. While in New Orleans on a lecture tour, Jamaican black nationalist Marcus Garvey, who founded the UNIA in 1916, became aware that Louisiana planters and the city's Board of Trade were worried about losing their labor force, as he recounted in a speech the following year. Get Engaged. The company recruited hundreds of black workers to replace them. Ten determined officers could have prevented most of the outrages. Regarded as one of the best Flea Markets in East Saint Louis area, Lebanon Flea Market is located at 126 E McAllister St. Their current phone number is (618) 537-2509. The period was one of frequent labor violence in industrial cities across the United States: employers used force to try to suppress organized labor and strikes, while workers struggled to gain increased wages and improved working conditions. [citation needed], On July 6, representatives of the East St. Louis Chamber of Commerce met with the mayor to demand the resignation of the Police Chief and Night Police Chief, or radical reform. [6] The renowned journalist Ida B. Getting around by car is also very convenient in this city. [29] A white-owned theatre, valued at more than $100,000, was also destroyed. "The Horror of the East St. Louis Massacre. "Reconsidering the East St Louis Race Riot of 1917". Whitepages is the largest and most trusted online phone book and directory. "Target of Prejudice: The Negro", In, Leonard, Mary Delach. East St. Louis The Short East St Louis Ghetto Story . The trial was held in the county court of St. Clair County, Illinois. St. Clair and Madison Counties Evening Journal. The caption reads, "Mr. President, why not make America safe for democracy? [10][14], The next day, thousands of white spectators gathered to view the detectives' bloodstained automobile. [16], The following day on July 3, 1917, a reporter from Post-Dispatch of St. Louis wrote: "For an hour and a half last evening I saw the massacre of helpless negroes at Broadway and Fourth Street, in downtown East St. Louis, where black skin was death warrant." The East St. Louis Riots were a series of outbreaks of labor- and race-related violence by White Americans who murdered between 40 and 250 African-Americans in late May and early July 1917. He was formally charged with inciting a riot. More than two-thirds of the city’s children live in poverty. [9] Tensions between the groups escalated. Ultimately the workers won a wage increase but the companies retained nearly 800 blacks, firing as many whites after the strike, according to the former president of the Central Trades and Labor Union of East St. - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about. Patrick, James. At a labor meeting held in City Hall on May 28 and made up mostly of white workers, rumors circulated of black men fraternizing with white women. Wells reported in The Chicago Defender that 40–150 African-American people were killed during the July massacre. [4], In 1917, the United States had an active economy boosted by World War I. Saint Louis is the perfect Midwest vacation destination for the entire family. Labor agencies recruited some workers for specific jobs, especially as strikebreakers, but labor demand was sufficient that migrants moved on their own, having heard about the new employment opportunities created by the wartime economy. [19] After the massacre, the St. Louis Argus said, "The entire country has been aroused to a sense of shame and pity by the magnitude of the national disgrace enacted by the blood-thirsty rioters in East St. Louis Monday, July 2. In the summer of 1916, 2,500 white employees of the meatpacking industry near East St. Louis went on strike for higher wages, and the companies imported black workers to replace them. (East St. Louis, Ill.) 1966-1985. East St Louis School Records. The median household annual income is less than $20,000. About 1797 a ferry station was established on the site by Captain James Piggott, a pioneer and Illinois territorial judge, and in 1818 a village was laid out. Many workers were immigrants from Europe. The city of East St. Louis, Illinois was the scene of one of the bloodiest race riots in the 20th century. One hundred men acting with authority and vigor might have prevented any outrage. Concurrently African Americans began the Great Migration from the rural Southern United States to seek better work and education in the North, as well as to escape from lynchings and the discriminations of the Jim Crow era. Lebanon Flea Market is located approximately 17 miles from East Saint Louis. December 26, 2016. Adjacent to a MetroLink station and just blocks from the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center, it is the first phase of more than 400 units of affordable rental and 100 units of for-sale housing. Bundy, along with 34 other defendants, of whom 10 were white, was convicted and sentenced to prison in connection with the riot. In 2014 Delta Epsilon Lambda in partnership with Metro East St Louis Community Initiative will celebrate 14 Years of the Lights of Alpha program. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. [10] Claiming that "Southern negros deserve[d] a genuine lynching", some whites hanged several blacks. White workers often resented black newcomers due to competition for jobs and housing and fear they would be undercut by black workers who were willing to accept lower wages. "Race Rioters Fire East St. Louis and Shoot or Hang Many Negroes". The July 1917 epis… Conversely, industry owners hired blacks as replacements or strikebreakers, deepening existing segregation and inter-racial hostility. [20][page needed][21] More whites joined in. Read a message from East St. Louis City Manager Brooke Smith. ", Heaps, "Target of Prejudice: The Negro", in. Lookup People, Phone Numbers, Addresses & More in East Saint Louis, IL. [10][11], Following the May 28 meeting, some 1,000–3,000 white men marched into downtown East St. Louis and began attacking African Americans on the street and in streetcars and burning some buildings. Racial tensions began to increase in February, 1917 when 470 African American workers were hired to replace white workers who had gone on strike against the Aluminum Ore Company. [26], The ferocious brutality of the attacks and the failure of authorities to protect innocent lives contributed to the radicalization of many blacks in St. Louis and the nation. The lack of frenzy and of a large infuriated mob made the task easy. 83 Homes For Sale in East Saint Louis, IL. Four major interstates lead into East St. Louis: Interstate 70, I-55, I-255, and I-64. East Saint Louis, city, St. Clair county, southwestern Illinois, U.S. The mission of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School is to prepare students who are career- and college-ready upon graduation. This complex of 174 townhomes for rent is located in East St. Louis' Emerson Park neighborhood. Many would-be workers were drafted or enlisted into military service, creating a shortage of labor for industrial employers in major cities, which had long been destinations for European immigrants. "[6][28], In New York City on July 28, ten thousand black people marched down Fifth Avenue in a Silent Parade, protesting the East St. Louis Massacre. [15] The mob beat and shot blacks on the street indiscriminately, including women and children. EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – East St. Louis Police are investigating reports of a rolling gun battle Sunday night. [1] The events took place in and near East St. Louis, Illinois, an industrial city on the east bank of the Mississippi River, directly opposite the city of St. Louis, Missouri. The names listed below are alumni who have been searched for on this site from East St Louis Lincoln High Schoolin East St. Louis, Illinois.If you see your name among the East St Louis Lincoln High School graduates, someone is looking for you! The East St. Louis Fire Department is dedicated to the saving of life and property through training and education. East St. Louis has a new public library at 5320 State St. Discover top STL restaurants, hotels in St Louis, St Louis entertainment, St Louis museums & more unique locations. 1772-1999 Illinois, Wills and Probate Records Ancestry . $500,000 GSK IMPACT Grant awarded to groups building healthy futures in East St. Louis READ MORE.