A white mob attacks the Black community of Springfield, Illinois, lynching residents and destroying homes and businesses in Lincoln's hometown.
At a Glance
- Date
- 14 August 1908
- Location
- Springfield, Illinois
- Category
- Civil Unrest & Racial Violence
- Source
- Contemporary accounts (1908) · Library of Congress
What It Meant Then
The shock of violence in the North directly inspired the founding of the NAACP.
What It Means Now
Springfield is remembered as a catalyst of the modern civil rights movement.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The Springfield Race Riot.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-springfield-race-riot/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The Springfield Race Riot. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-springfield-race-riot/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The Springfield Race Riot.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-springfield-race-riot/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.