1920 – East St. Louis Race Riot Survivors Testify Before Congress

On May 30, 1920, survivors and witnesses of the East St. Louis Race Riot (1917) gave emotional testimony before Congress. This riot, one of the deadliest in U.S. history, saw white mobs kill an estimated 100 Black residents and destroy entire neighborhoods. The congressional hearing aimed to investigate the federal government’s failure to intervene and to prevent future racial violence. The testimony laid bare the brutality inflicted on Black communities during the Red Summer era and underscored the urgent need for anti-lynching legislation and civil rights protections. Survivors described scenes of arson, beatings, and mass terror, prompting public outrage but limited policy change. This moment in history exemplifies the long struggle for justice and federal accountability in the face of white supremacist violence. Commemorating May 30 reminds us of the systemic obstacles Black Americans faced and the ongoing demand for truth and reparative justice.