1917: Race riot erupts in East St. Louis
Ninety-three years ago today was a horrible day in our region:
The city of East St. Louis was the scene of one of the bloodiest race riots in the 20th century. Racial tensions began to increase in February, 1917 when 470 African American workers were hired to replace white workers who had gone on strike against the Aluminum Ore Company.
The violence started on May 28th, 1917, shortly after a city council meeting was called. Angry white workers lodged formal complaints against black migrations to the Mayor of East St. Louis. After the meeting had ended, news of an attempted robbery of a white man by an armed black man began to circulate through the city. As a result of this news, white mobs formed and rampaged through downtown, beating all African Americans who were found. The mobs also stopped trolleys and streetcars, pulling black passengers out and beating them on the streets and sidewalks. Illinois Governor Frank O. Lowden eventually called in the National Guard to quell the violence, and the mobs slowly dispersed. The May 28th disturbances were only a prelude to the violence that erupted on July 2, 1917.
After the May 28th riots, little was done to prevent any further problems. No precautions were taken to ensure white job security or to grant union recognition. This further increased the already-high level of hostilities towards African Americans. No reforms were made in police force which did little to quell the violence in May. Governor Lowden ordered the National Guard out of the city on June 10th, leaving residents of East St. Louis in an uneasy state of high racial tension.
On July 2, 1917, the violence resumed. Men, women, and children were beaten and shot to death. Around six o’ clock that evening, white mobs began to set fire to the homes of black residents. Residents had to choose between burning alive in their homes, or run out of the burning houses, only to be met by gunfire. In other parts of the city, white mobs began to lynch African Americans against the backdrop of burning buildings. As darkness came and the National Guard returned, the violence began to wane, but did not come to a complete stop….
…A year after the riot, a Special Committee formed by the United States House of Representatives launched an investigation into police actions during the East St. Louis Riot. Investigators found that the National Guard and also the East St. Louis police force had not acted adequately during the riots, revealing that the police often fled from the scenes of murder and arson. Some even fled from stationhouses and refused to answer calls for help. The investigation resulted in the indictment of several members of the East St. Louis police force. (Source: BlackPast.com)
In the decades since the riot, East St. Louis has gone from having a white population of nearly 100% (1920) to 50% (1960) to 5-10% (1980) to less than 5% (2000). The 1920 population was 66,585 with a 1950 peak of 82,366. In 2000 the population totaled only 31,542.
The devastation from the loss of population (and work) can be seen throughout most of East St. Louis.
When I moved to St. Louis from Oklahoma I was shocked when I heard their garbage collection had ended. The Casino Queen has helped provide some revenue to the city for basic services. But efforts have been underway to improve conditions.
Parsons Place has been a positive addition to East St. Louis:
Parsons Place is a multi-family rental mixed income community in the City of East St. Louis’ Emerson Park neighborhood. This important project has been embraced by the regional efforts of St. Louis 2004 and represents a key initiative in the redevelopment of this distressed community. It is sited just blocks from the new 15th Street Emerson Park MetroLink Station and the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Boys and Girls Club. Phase I consists of 174 units of affordable rental apartments. Phase II was completed in summer 2005 and consists of 102 units. (Source: McCormack Barron Salazar)
Much work remains to be done to improve the city. Like St. Louis, getting past the issue of race will be key.
– Steve Patterson
Like it or not, but I think Parson's Place is the future of East St. Louis; as someone once said, the city is mostly wilderness– 5 minutes from the Arch. There's no way such valuable land will remain empty forever. I expect that at some point the current government of East St. Louis will collapse, and a new city, probably suburban in nature, will replace it. Not saying it's the best thing, but what will probably happen.
Ultimately, any value lies in the eyes of a buyer. Whether it's here or on our side of the river, there are acres and acres of potential brownfield redevelopment. The land is cheap and the proximity (to highways, transit and other parts of the metroplex) is great, yet little or nothing is happening. Other factors, like perceived appreciation potential, or lack thereof, and the potentially crippling liability for any existing contamination conspire with known problems like crumbling infrastructure and failing schools to drive development to “safer” greenfield options.
I'm not sure if I agree with your assumption “that at some point the current government of East St. Louis will collapse”. They may end up bankrupt, and they may even be forced to merge with another jurisdiction, but I doubt that they'll go away, any more than will the other struggling governments, like those of Sauget, Brooklyn or Granite City, to name just a few.
Ultimately, it's going to take some fundamental, structural changes to the region before much changes here. We're going to have to see freeway congestion increase markedly, we're going to have to see a significant increase in employment in the urban core, on both sides of the river, and we're going have to figure out how to rebuild our aging infrastructure without placing all of the burden on existing residents and businesses.
We live in a global, mobile economy. People have choices. When I moved here, I made mine, and East St. Louis wan't even on my radar screen. And, unfortunately, for too many people, that's the reality, and until the negative perceptions (and realities) are addressed, ESL will continue to struggle . . .