Black Tourism And History In Springfield
Sangamon Valley Collection, Lincoln Library
Historians and civil rights group want the site of the 1908 Springfield race riot recognized as a national historic monument.
In August 1908, a white mob destroyed dozens of black-owned homes and businesses in Springfield, and multiple people were killed.
The riot, which is also referred to as a masscre, led to the creation of the NAACP, one of the oldest civil rights groups in the world.
“You would be amazed how many people in Springfield don’t even know their own history,” said Theresa Haley President of the Illinois Chapter of the NAACP.
Haley and Kathryn Harris, president of the Abraham Lincoln Association, hope to get the riot site, along with a few other sites in Springfield, recognized for their historic significance.
Guests: Kathryn Harris, President of the Abraham Lincoln Association. Teresa Haley, President of the Illinois Chapter of the NAACP.