The Elaine Massacre

The Elaine Massacre, which occurred in Elaine, Arkansas, in late September and early October of 1919, stands as one of the deadliest racial confrontations in U.S. history, part of the broader period of racial violence known as the Red Summer. The violence began after Black sharecroppers met at the Hoop Spur Church to discuss forming a union, the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America, aiming to secure better payments for their cotton crops from white plantation owners.

Tensions escalated when white law enforcement officers and local planters interrupted the meeting, leading to an exchange of gunfire. Misinformation quickly spread that Black residents were insurrecting against white residents, prompting local white mobs and federal troops to retaliate. Over the following days, estimates of Black individuals killed by mobs and troops range from over a hundred to possibly more than eight hundred, though exact numbers remain unclear due to poor record-keeping and intentional cover-ups.

Following the massacre, dozens of Black individuals were unjustly arrested, with twelve sentenced to death in dubious trials. The convictions were eventually overturned due to the efforts of the NAACP, highlighting significant legal and civil rights implications. The Elaine Massacre remains a harrowing example of racial violence and injustice in the American South.

See the dedication of the Memorial remembering the tragic event.