THE ANATOMY OF A RACE RIOT (1862)
******************************************************************************************************************************** Brownstone Detectives investigates the history of its clients’ homes. The story you are about to read was composed from research conducted in the course of one of those investigations. ******************************************************************************************************************************** “Yesterday afternoon, one of the most disgraceful riots, which has ever happened in this city, took place…” So began the Brooklyn Daily Eagle‘s lead article about an “anti-Negro” riot that had taken place the previous day in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. “…which, but for the timely appearance of the police, aided by some citizens, might have resulted in a most fearful tragedy.” HOW THE RIOT STARTED Days before the riot, though, “two (black) men who work in the rozin factory at the foot of Sedgewick Street were returning home from their work and stopped at Grady’s liquor store, in the neighborhood of the factories, to take a drink.” When a white man went to enter the establishment, he asked the “colored men” to move out of the way. When they refused, the spark that would light the kindling appeared. Of course, resentments and ill feelings had been brewing for some time, and this event, apparently, provided the “justification” for the backlash that was to come. After this minor liquor store incident – all through the night and into the next morning – various sorts of wild stories began to circulate and rumors to spread, including, unsurprisingly, unfounded accounts about “struck at the negroes with their clubs.”.” Then, when the morning arrived upon which the riot was incited, […]
