The Alexandria, Louisiana Lee Street Riot," it generated renewed (albeit temporary) local interest in the subject. Search Alexandria obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. An anonymous letter about a violent incident nearly 80years ago in Alexandriais the impetus for a renewed effort to discover what happened during and after an incidentonLee Street in 1942. Today819 Lee St. is just a vacant lot in downtown Alexandria, but back in 1942it was the site the former Ritz Theater, where the trouble began. Williams filed a report alleging the riot had been premeditated and that there were vastly more fatalities than the zero the military had claimed. It is unclear why there had been such a sense of urgency to remove instead of restore the mural, but regardless, it echoes what one discovers at Camp Claiborne. 12 Best Things To Do In Alexandria, Louisiana | Trip101 "But everybody, everysoldier, that died that night, is important," he said. There probably are relatives still around of the men who were killed. Southerners were known as gracious hosts, after all. On June 14, 2017, a gunman walked onto a baseball field at Eugene Simpson Park in Alexandria, Virginia, opening fire on politicians and wounding House GOP Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana and four . alexandria, louisiana massacre - nodelivery.fun 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. There is one bit of folklore that continues to persist: the story of what a small group of Black soldiers had attempted to do once they returned to base. Lee Street Riot of 1942 Marker. Notably, it was generally acknowledged, even- implicitly- by the government, that the soldier had not been responsible for provoking the violence). Heart of Louisiana: Alexandria's Lee St. riot - KSLA Marker acknowledges tragic night in Alexandria's history Copyright 2020 KALB. In central Louisiana, residents and guests enjoy a treasured, peaceful lifestyle. He felt there were two areas that absolutelyare worthy of looking further at that are potential mass graves.". It was an ugly time. The summer of 1868 was a tumultuous one. By most accounts, between 2,000 and 3,000 people, the overwhelming majority of whom were African American, had been present that night on Lee Street, and almost immediately after the first shot was fired, Black soldiers began protesting. It was Saturday, January 10, 1942, a little over a month after Pearl . "Aside from the civilians and soldiers enjoying that night, were dozens of military police from the local camps, both Black and white, with the white MPs being the only ones fully armed to handle any trouble caused by the soldiers on Lee," he said. They died, unable to escape the . Please include title of story. Wynne has taken photos of all the potential sites Holt marked. Alexandria is the ninth-largest city in the state of Louisiana and is the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. Some historians believe there was a cover-up by the United States military and researchers are hunting for a possible mass grave. How two men are helping shed light on Colfax's deadly past | News With echoes of the bondage Read MoreThe Thibodaux Massacre (November 23, 1887) 1874-1875. While there is scant evidence of premeditation or planning, his initial reporting on deaths was later corroborated, at least in part, by White officers themselves. By 5 June, six more warships had entered Alexandria harbour . St. . It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area (population 153,922) which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes. The truth remains elusive and the search will go on to find out if black soldiers training to fight Americas enemies overseas also faced a deadly threat at home. Perhaps a shot was fired. . The Day Freedom Died: The Colfax Massacre, the Supreme Court, and the A month after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Black soldiers from Camp Claiborne in central Louisiana went to the town of Alexandria on Saturday January 10, 1942, for some R&R. Most of the soldiers were from the North, and on that night, a Black soldier supposedly stepped in front of a car driven by a white woman. The City of Alexandria will be placing a historic marker along Lee St. at the site of the 1941 violence. He didn't witness the incident but heard about it and the aftermath. Lamar is a graduate of Rice University in Houston and the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Your Privacy Rights IN THIS UNPRECEDENTED TIME, YOUR SUPPORT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER, James Carvilles Stirring Tribute to Louisiana Gov. "He knows what graveyards look like. The U.S. Army was segregated in those days. 150 Years Ago, the Colfax Massacre Was the Largest Single Attack on In 1940, Alexandria had a population of more than 27,000 people, and although nearly half were African American, there were only 17 Black registered voters in the entire city. "Many say a riot occurred, but others actually say a massacre occurred in a battle that lasted reportedly between 2 and 6 hours," Wynne said. Terms of Use Nearly forgotten in Alexandria'shistory is a chapter known to only a few thathas been passed down orally for many years. So it just became this rampage through the Lee St. area, says Dr. Bristol. Colorado governor signs gun control bills after nightclub massacre 21 lives lost: Uvalde victims were a cross-section of a small, mostly Latino town in South Texas. pittsburgh gymnastics roster; george pickett siblings; alexandria, louisiana massacre The quick and easy way to find all the exciting Halloween attractions in the Louisiana area for 2023! Republican Whip Steve Scalise in critical condition - CNN Many historians, such as James G. Hollandsworth, George C. Rable, and Gilles Vandal have examined the causes and events of the New Orleans Massacre, but few scholars have attempted to uncover how large-scale political In her later years, Compton handed the annualmemorial wreath-laying traditionto the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club after she was unable to continue. The Uvalde school shooting victims: What we know | The Texas Tribune A memorial to the three white men who died during the Colfax Massacre stands in the town cemetery Thursday, April 13, 2023, in Colfax, La. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. "Some would indicate that, first off, well, they had not seen anything directly - they heard," said Simpson. Alexandria, Louisiana - Wikipedia Personally, Wynne says he feels itcould be closer to 20. This was the clearest opportunity yet to take him down. Hopefully, the full truth of what actually happened on that never-to-be-forgotten night will come out one day, he said. Wynne says there is rumored to be anywhere from 20 to 300 bodies. Memorial Day and the Lee Street Massacre - Medium Alexandria, LA Map & Directions - MapQuest "And I was convinced that that was not the case.". About The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875 Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The police never patrolled out there; they couldnt. Some say it was 20 while others think the number could be as high as 300. Golden Shield. The Thibodaux Massacre took place in Thibodaux, Louisiana on November 23, 1887. For a few hours, the team walked through the cemetery with the ground penetrating radar, flaggingareas of interest to uncover answers to the mystery detailed in the letter. Simpson said he interviewed scores of peopleincluding former policemen, former state troopers and civilians. As one scholar noted, Blacks lived so far away from the main facilities it seemed to have no physical connection at all with the camp itself. Alexandria Obituaries - Latest Obituaries in Alexandria, LA - Echovita "And whether it's one body, 20 bodiesor many more, we want to find where they are and finally bring resolution to the families who lost their sons in this tragic massacre.". After that incident that had happened on Lee St. they didnt see any of their soldier friends anymore, says Rhodes. In the 1990s,William M. Simpson, former Louisiana College history professor, interviewed scores of peopleincluding former policemen, former state troopers and civilians and included their stories in his articleA Tale Untold? Holly Oak Cemetery was established around 1923 and according to Mike Wynne, local historian, is the most historic Black cemetery in Central Louisiana. So she called the local police officer over who of course immediately started to arrest him and other soldiers that had come out with him that night, came around and this became a police riot because one among the things they reported where police were doing things like just shooting into black barbershops. The Caucasian. The camp, of course, is a ghost town. The Colfax Massacre occurred on April 13, 1873. By the 14th of February, the 550-bed hospital had close to 900 patients. Alexandria, La. "It took months and months to get this arranged, but this is actually the easy part," said Wynne of getting Holt and his team here. Scalise, 51, who represents Louisiana and is the third-ranking Republican in the House, was standing at second base when the shooting erupted, witnesses said. C.E. Twitter A significant historical date for this entry is January 10, 1942. It was far easier for White soldiers to enjoy Liberty Weekends than it was for Black soldiers. (WVUE) - At a time when close to a half million troopers were training for World War II, a Louisiana town was ground zero for a riot, or massacre, that highlights the racial . Colfax Massacre descendants set out to correct historical account The violent crime rate in Alexandria, Louisiana, of 968 incidents per 100,000 people is among the highest in the United States. After Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation freed those enslaved in Confederate-occupied territory in 1863, the US Army conducted a ten-day raid up the Red River to Alexandria, where the Confederate governor of Louisiana, Thomas Moore, owned a large plantation. Every year on Memorial Day, the Alexandria chapter of the motorcycle club holds a memorial to remember the soldiers who died in the violent incident, saidKelvin Freeman, president of the Alexandria chapter. "I don't know how I got to safety after the riot," a black trainee at Camp Claiborne recalled. "First, the legality. The Alexandria Massacre of 11 June 1882 and the British - JSTOR ALEXANDRIA, La. About The Caucasian (Alexandria, La.) Alexandria, LA (04/10/2023) The Alexandria Police Department (APD) is investigating a traffic collision that occurred last night involving an off-road. Colfax, founded in 1869 as the seat of Grant Parish, began life at the site of one of Louisiana's largest cotton plantations. All rights reserved. It was where Solomon Northup spent ten of his twelve years in captivity. Wynne is an amateur historian and retired law enforcement officer in Alexandria has been pushing to find those answers. Be careful as you cross through Woodworth. Wynne, who spoke about the incident at the briefing,said the markerwillhonor an undetermined number ofBlack soldiers who were killed or injured on Jan. 10, 1942 while on liberty weekend. May 26, 2022. THE INVESTIGATORS: Man who confessed to streamed killing on - WAFB Due to Simpson's and Tyson's interviews, Wynne said, "We now know more about the reported deaths of the soldiers. Opelousas, Louisiana - Equal Justice Initiative Reports Those who oversaw the election felt fully convinced that no man on that day could have voted any other than the democratic ticket and not been killed inside of 24 hours thereafter.. Lee Street Massacre - YouTube Alexandria LA Real Estate & Homes For Sale - Zillow "The front part of the cemetery dates prior to 1945," said Wynne. ", William M. Simpson, former Louisiana College professor and author of "A Tale Untold? The Alexandria Massacre of 11 June 1882 and the British Occupation of Egypt M. E. Chamberlain In the early aftemoon of Sunday, 11 June 1882, an Arab donkey boy, named El Ajjan, deposited his passenger, an unidentified Maltese,' at the cafe Kawat-el-Gezaz in the wide Rue des Soeurs in the European The first violent contest over the Grant Parish courthouse took place April 1, 1873. Camp Claiborne was situated in Rapides Parish about 18 miles south of Alexandria, off the intersection of US Highway 165 and present day La Highway 112, just north of the town of Forest Hill. I didnt set into this to make the army look bad, says Dr. Bill Simpson. The Alexandria, Louisiana, Lee Street Riot (January 10, 1942). $170,000. In the following eight decades, Wynne said that those in the Black community have come to believe that many Black soldiers died in the incident whose deaths were covered up. Streets, buildings, cemeteries, and the land itself are saturated with history and the . The Alexandria, Louisiana Lee Street Riot, it generated renewed (albeit temporary) local interest in the subject. Mystery of the 364th - Jaye Purple Wolf (There were subsequent reports the soldier had been accused of assaulting a White woman, though those reports seem to be based on pure speculation. New Orleans fell to the US Army early, in April 1862. We remember driving the abandoned roads of the camp and stopping to shoot BB guns into some of the abandoned warehouses during the late 1950s. COLFAX RIOT. Incorporated in 1749 with a history of slave trading, freedom, wars, murder, and death, Alexandria has many haunted, historic locations. 9. Copyright 2020 WVUE. Basketball legend Rivers, longtime Globetrotter, dies at 73, Public Inspection File - digicomm@kalb.com - (318) 483-4211. There were, in fact, a number of soldiers killed on that violent night in Alexandria. In the wake of Simpsons scholarship, even the Town Talk had been forced to publicly acknowledge its own complicity in manufacturing what now was clearly revealed to be an egregious cover-up. Privacy Statement There were several reasons the federal government selected Central Louisiana as the staging grounds for the largest-ever military exercise in the nations history: The regions mild climate meant training could be year-round; the area had been used before, during WWI, and it helped that the newly-established Kisatchie National Forest meant the federal government already owned a ton of land. The victims of the Texas school shooting in Uvalde - Los Angeles Times The United States has done comparatively little until quite recently to memorialize its history of significant racial violence, Pfeifer said. Three whites and an estimated 150 blacks died in the conflict. Black soldiers who were killed or injured in a tragic incident in Alexandria's history known as the Lee Street Riotwill be commemorated withabronze historical marker, said local historian Mike Wynne. Wynne read the book and contacted Bristol about the alleged mass grave. She is also the author of The Last Voyageurs: Retracing La Salle's Journey Across America. Donate here through ActBlue, or by sending a check to Bayou Brief at 3208 Pine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70125. That monument, erected in 1921, still stands. Colfax Memorial Organization Dedicates Memorial on 150th Anniversary of Colfax Massacre. The Louisiana History Museum is not just dedicated to Alexandria but to all of Louisiana's history. Cookie Settings, War, Politics, and Reconstruction: Stormy Days in Louisiana, The Roots of Rough Justice: Origins of American Lynching, Five Places Where You Can Still Find Gold in the United States, Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Otherand the Birds Loved It, Balto's DNA Provides a New Look at the Intrepid Sled Dog, The Science of California's 'Super Bloom,' Visible From Space, What We're Still Learning About Rosalind Franklins Unheralded Brilliance. The Caucasian (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875 | Library of Congress As a small number of African-Americans prepared to rescue Bentley, word spread around the parish that a black rebellion was imminent. The four-block area had been hastily cordoned off, and the military commanded Black soldiers to return to their respective bases, either Livington or Claiborne. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area (population 153,922) which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes. It is believed many of the black soldiers targeted in the Lee St. violence were stationed at Camp Claiborne. Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1777-1963 or use the U.S. I think that would bring a degree of closure, says Dr. Simpson. (KALB) - Expert researchers and historians spent Tuesday at Holly Oak Cemetery in Pineville, searching for a rumored mass gravesite. Alexandria has a rich and intriguing haunted history that dates to the first Native American settlers. Bombardment of Alexandria - Wikipedia That would mean there isorganic material surrounded by organic material. I simply wanted to find the truth.. The Lee Street Massacre took place on Saturday night, January 10, 1942, in Alexandria, Louisiana. The British Military Hospital, now known as Alexandra Hospital, was one of several military hospitals overwhelmed with casualties. OLPS . "Getting them out and putting them on the freight trains," he said. 2017-2021 Bayou Brief. Holt and his team foundareas at Holly Oak Cemetery that they deemed to beworthy of further research. As legend has it, someone got the bright (and likely drunken) idea to hijack a tank and drive it into town.