Elaine Massacre, 1919

Sept 30, 1919: The ‘Elaine Massacre’ occurs. There was a meeting of Black sharecroppers near Elaine, Arkansas. The meeting was held to discuss ways they could organize to demand fairer payments for their crops. The meeting was raided by the Phillips County sheriff and his men who opened fire on the meeting. Black men, armed as guards, returned fire. Over the next 2 days 5 whites were known dead, and up to 1000 Blacks were killed and/or forced to flee the area. Over 200 Black men were arrested, but due to the nationwide efforts of the NAACP and other civil rights organizations all were eventually freed although 12 had been charged with capital murder.

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