Lombard Street riot

The Lombard Street Riot, sometimes called the Abolition Riots was a three-day race riot in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1842. The riot was the last in a 13-year period marked by frequent racial attacks in the city. It started on Lombard Street, between Fifth and Eighth streets.

Background

In the early decades of the 19th century, there were significant increases in the city's African-American population as large numbers of freed and fugitive slaves joined other immigrants in Philadelphia. During the twenty-five years prior to the run of riots, the city's African American population grew more than 50%. At the same time, there were increasing numbers of Irish immigrants, who were also separated from the larger society by their generally rural backgrounds, as well as by their Catholic religion. Given European political and religious tensions and the British occupation of Ireland, there had long been strong anti-Catholic feeling among many American Protestants.

During the years immediately before the riots, there were periodic outbreaks of racial, ethnic and religious violence among Irish Catholics, German Protestants, African Americans and even pacifist Quakers. These were the result of social and economic competition, especially between Irish Catholics and African Americans, who were generally at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Many Irish refused to work on labor teams with African Americans, adding to the difficulties of both groups in getting work.

The riot

On the morning of August 1, 1842, a parade was held by over 1,000 members of the black Young Men's Vigilant Association on Philadelphia's Lombard Street between Fifth and Eighth Streets in commemoration of the end of slavery in the British West Indies.

As the paraders neared Mother Bethel Church, they were attacked by a mob of Irish Catholics.

Requests to the Mayor and police for protection initially led to the arrest of several of the victims and none of the rioters. Over three days of attacks, the Second African American Presbyterian Church, the abolitionist Smith's Hall and numerous homes and public buildings were looted and burned, many of them destroyed. The mayor had credible evidence of a plan to burn several local churches, which he ignored.

Eventually, as the rioting began to subside, the local militia was brought in to restore order.

Aftermath

Afterward, the mayor refused to arrest most of those known to have led the riot. Of those arrested by the militia, most were found not guilty or otherwise released. The three or four who were convicted received only light sentences.

Historical marker

In March 2005, the Pennsylvania Historical and Cultural Commission approved a historical sign at Sixth and Lombard streets to mark the event. It reads

Lombard Street Riot — Here on August 1842 an angry mob of whites attacked a parade celebrating Jamaican Emancipation Day.

A riot ensued. African Americans were beaten and their homes looted.

The rioting lasted for 3 days. A local church and abolition meeting place were destroyed by fire.

The marker was the result of work by a class of Philadelphia students challenged by their rookie history teacher to research a race riot in the city and argue for its significance. After researching the riot, the students decided that the event was an aspect of a significant part of the city's history that is often ignored. Petitioning for the marker was their way of highlighting the racial intolerance often left out of versions of city history presented to tourists.

The marker stands at Philadelphia's first public recreation facility, Starr Garden, which is a popular playground.

See also

• Philadelphia Nativist Riots