The designated area was the scene where the 1908 Springfield Race Riot began.
President Joe Biden will designate a historic local jail building in Springfield, Illinois, as a national monument on Friday. The designation will commemorate the location where the Springfield Race Riot began.
After two black men were arrested on charges of rape and murder, 5,000 white men gathered outside of the Springfield jail on August 14, 1908, demanding that they be turned over to them. When they learned that the police secretly transferred the two men to Bloomington, Illinois, they stormed Springfield’s black neighborhoods, killing eight black men and five white men and destroying over 35 businesses.
At the time, most people assumed that the majority of racial violence happened in the Deep South. But when such a violent event suddenly occurred in President Abraham Lincoln’s home state, both the American public and national leaders realized that racial issues were more complex and pervasive than they had realized.
President Biden will be joined by civil rights leaders and elected officials in Springfield for his national monument proclamation.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For President Biden as he designates and commemorates the tragic historical site.
- For the people of the United States to turn to the Lord and to learn how to love Him and their neighbors.
- For the president, vice president, and administration officials as they continue to pursue their policies.
Sources: The Hill, NBC News
