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Today, President Joe Biden will exercise his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument in Springfield, Illinois, advancing racial justice by recognizing the horrific event as an important piece of American history and acknowledging its ongoing legacy.
In August 1908, a White mob attacked and lynched Black residents of Springfield, Illinois and burned their homes, resulting in one of the country’s worst episodes of mass racial violence. The mob had gathered outside a county jail that held two Black prisoners accused of committing crimes against White citizens. With chants calling for vigilante justice, the mob turned violent when it was learned the prisoners had been moved for their safety. The outrage that followed the riot led to the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (The NAACP).
Thousands of local and national activists including the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have been campaigning for the designation of the national monument for decades. Now, on the heels of the 116th anniversary of the event, their advocacy will be celebrated.
"It's been a journey to get here. It's been decades," said Ken Page, president of the Springfield chapter of the ACLU. "There's recognition, there's acknowledgment that this did happen and there's a legacy from this happening."
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Water is the heart of our ceremonies. We were taught early on to take and use only what is needed. Above all else, we must care for the spirit of the water.”
