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Urge President Biden to Designate the Springfield Race Riot Site as a National Monument
On August 14, 1908, one of the most violent race riots in our country’s history happened in Springfield, Illinois. The riots started when an innocent Black man was wrongly accused of rape, leading to a white mob of 5,000 rioters attacking Black neighborhoods and businesses, killing nine Black citizens.
The terror and trauma of these attacks spurred long-lasting effects on generations of Black residents in Springfield and beyond. Despite this, the story of the riots has often been overlooked in our country’s history. It is well past time that this history be told.
With the use of the Antiquities Act, President Biden can protect this place of historical and cultural significance. The proposed Springfield Race Riot National Monument would ensure the site where five houses burned down is recognized and remembered for generations to come.
Please urge President Biden to designate this historic and cultural site as a national monument today.