Skip to Main Content
Library and Tutoring homepage

African American Massacres in the U.S.A.

This guide provides information and links to websites that detail the many racially inspired slaughters of African Americans in the United States of America by those considered white Americans.

Racial violence against African Americans in the U.S.A.

Racial Violence against Americans of African descent has been documented throughout the history of the United States of America. Sometimes called "riots" and other times "massacres," these incidents in America's history reveal a forgotten history of the number of African American lives lost at hands of white aggressors.  This page offers a soul-searching reflection on the racism seen as systemic today and fuels the cry of many that “Black Lives Matter.”

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “riot” as “a violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd; an outbreak of violent civil disorder or lawlessness,” and a “massacre” as “the indiscriminate and brutal slaughter of people…”  There is not much difference between the two once you see the shear number and cruelty of many of these attacks. All were carried out to suppress human rights or in anger towards those seeking equal rights or trying to exert their rights.

"massacre, n." OED Online, Oxford University Press, June 2020, www.oed.com/view/Entry/114675.

"riot, n." OED Online, Oxford University Press, June 2020, www.oed.com/view/Entry/166168.

For a curated list of resources on Black Lives Matter go to the Gale In context: Opposing Viewpoints Database or Films on Demand