Читать книгу Freedom Facts and Firsts - Jessie Carney Smith - Страница 76

This violent outbreak involved African American soldiers in conflict with white police and other authorities. The riot took place on Thursday, August 23, 1917, only days after the violence in East St. Louis, Illinois, made national headlines and exposed American racial problems as the country was fighting World War I “to make the world safe for democracy.” More than 3,000 black soldiers were stationed at Camp Logan, an Army base outside Houston. Most were from northern states and openly challenged the racial segregation practiced in the area. Several incidents caused commanding officers to attempt to head off potential trouble by imposing a curfew on the soldiers, allowing black women to visit the base, and permitting off-duty gambling and drinking, since the soldiers were not welcome in the “whites-only” bars and other establishments. After two black soldiers were beaten and arrested by white police officers in efforts to come to the defense of a black woman, word of the incident spread at the base. One of the soldiers had also been shot at, but the rumor spread that he had been shot and killed. In response a group of 600 black soldiers retaliated by arming themselves and going downtown to avenge the “murder.” Before order was restored, one African American and 12 whites were dead, while 19 were wounded, including five black soldiers. Some involved in the incident were later subject to a military trial at Fort Bliss, outside El Paso, Texas.

Fletcher F. Moon