Charleston Racial Violence

On May 10, 1919, racial violence broke out in Charleston. White servicemen and local white civilians attacked Black passersby and businesses after rumors circulated that a Black man had shot a white sailor. A rumor reported as the trigger is not independent verification of the alleged shooting.

The South Carolina Encyclopedia describes white servicemen raiding a shooting gallery and attacking Black residents. Some African Americans responded with gunfire, and Black businesses were destroyed. Marines were ordered to detain sailors at the navy yard, while some Black residents were disarmed.

The encyclopedia reports three African Americans killed and seventeen wounded, along with seven seriously injured white sailors. Contemporary newspapers carried differing early figures. The Bamberg Herald’s May 15 headline reports two deaths, illustrating why a newspaper scan should be compared with other sources rather than read as a final casualty count.

Charleston’s newly formed NAACP branch demanded punishment of the sailors, compensation for Black business owners, protection against future mobs, Black police officers, and an interracial committee. The mayor agreed to several demands but not to hiring Black officers.

The violence was an early major incident of the Red Summer of 1919, when racial attacks occurred in communities across the United States. The historical search term “Charleston Riot of 1919” remains useful for locating records, but the title used here makes the attacks on Black residents and businesses explicit.