August 2, 2003
I HAVE NO IDEA
if this story is true, but my parents told me growing up that during WWII the blacks in Savannah rioted on West Broad Street (now MLK Blivvid), and the Army pulled up in jeeps with quad 50's and machine-gunned them down. And it didn't even make the papers. Which seems a harsh price to pay for people upset that Yockum and Yockum had run out of spats, or whatever they were rioting about. I don't think it was a draft riot, because everyone was drafted, and I don't think it was because of a shortage of services, because rationing was in effect, and nobody had shit. Has anyone ever heard this story before? Just curious. My mother worked for a general at what later became Travis Field when she was 17, in 1944. I think he told her about it.
Posted by Kim Crawford at August 2, 2003 7:07 PMGrowing up in Houston, I didn't realize that the city had a distant history with race riots. I don't know how publicized the following incident was; I didn't learn about it until I saw a stage play on Austin Community Access Television well into my 20s:
"Members of the Third Battalion of the 24th Infantry took part in the Houston Mutiny of August 23, 1917—the first race riot in American history in which more whites than blacks died. The violence left 16 whites and four black soldiers dead. After hasty courts-martial, 19 more African American soldiers were executed for their part in the mutiny, and numerous others received lengthy jail sentences."
Unpretty history can definitely be hidden.
Posted by: Norbizness at August 2, 2003 7:50 PMTeddy Roosevelt made a controversial decision to court martial black soldiers in Texas for a dust up, as well. It remains the biggest inkspot (sorry) on his Presidency.
Posted by: Kim at August 2, 2003 8:01 PM