Washington D.C. — Today, President Joe Biden used the Antiquities Act to formally designate the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument in Springfield, Illinois, where one of the most violent race riots in U.S. history occurred. On August 14, 1908, the city’s Black community and prosperous Black businesses were targeted in a three-day-long racist attack that resulted in the devastating lynching of two Black men and the destruction of homes and businesses. This event was the catalyst for the formation of the NAACP.
The Springfield community, legislators, and NAACP have long been educating and advocating for the designation of the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument. In response to this monument designation, William Roberts, senior vice president for Rights and Justice at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act today serves to honor and remember the victims and survivors of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot. This horrific event is part of a dark chapter of America’s history, and it is important for public lands to preserve the full story to educate current and future generations. This new national monument also solemnly honors the work that came after—a stepped-up campaign against lynching led by Ida B. Wells and the founding of the NAACP. It is a proud step forward in expanding the inclusiveness of histories told on America’s public lands.
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For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].