Atlanta Riots of 1906
On September 22, 1906, whites began rampaging through Atlanta’s downtown streets and continued for three days in what has become known as the Atlanta Riots.
The reason for the riot was largely unknown but by the time it was over, as many as 25 to 40 African Americans had died. Only two whites lost their lives, one of whom was a woman who died of a heart attack after seeing the mob outside her home.
There was considerable property damage as well as many wounded. The riots gained international media attention with local reports saying that alleged assaults by black males on white females were the catalyst for the riot. Many, however, believe that a number of underlying causes laid behind the outbreak of the violence.
