the houston riot of 1917

8/11/2019 The Houston Riot of 1917

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The Houston Riot of 1917

Was It Preventable?

RL Booker, Jr

D


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The Houston Riot of 1917

The events of the ni ht of !u ust "#, 1917 $oul% have been

&revente% if those in $har e of the War De&art'ent, Houston Poli$e

De&art'ent an% $it( o)$ials ha% &re&are% the *hite $iti+ens of

Houston an% the bla$k sol%iers of the Thir% Battalion T*ent( -ourth

Infantr( .#/"0 th I B 2 *hat to e3&e$t *hen the sol%iers arrive% in

Houston for their %ut( assi n'ent at 4a'& Lo an5 Be$ause the a%vi$e

of 4olonel .46L2 e*'an *as %isre ar%e% the sol%iers of the #/"0 th I

B *ere sent to a $it( an% state that %i% not *ant the'5 The $it( of

Houston at the ti'e ha% a $orru&t an% ra$ist &oli$e for$e that %i% not

res&e$t bla$k Houstonians an% %i% not see a %istin$tion bet*een a

bla$k sol%ier an% a bla$k $iti+en, *hi$h $ause% &roble's5 This is the

ba$k%ro& of *hat a*aite% the 'en of the #/"0 th I B as the( arrive%

for their %ut( of uar%in the $onstru$tion of 4a'& Lo an on the

outskirts of Houston, Te3as5

The riot that o$$urre% on the ni ht of !u ust "#, 1917 is

si ni $ant for t*o reasons8 it *as the rst ra$e riot *here 'ore *hites

*ere kille% than bla$ks an% it $han e% the nifor' 4o%e of :ilitar(

Justi$e . 4:J25 The riot involve% bla$ks that *ere not $ivilians, *hi$h

s$are% 'an( *hite Te3ans an% southerners5 This riot &la(e% into their

*orst fears a bla$k sol%ier *ith a$$ess to *ea&ons takin out reven e

a ainst *hites5 Thou h the riot took &la$e in Houston, this riot $oul%

ha% taken &la$e an(*here in !'eri$a5 In Jul(, there ha% been a ra$e


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riot in ;ast *as a rave

'is$arria e of usti$e b( Presi%ent Theo%ore Roosevelt an% a harbin er

of the 4:J that *oul% be i'&ose% on the 'en of the #/"0 th I B 5

The 'en of the T*ent( -ifth Infantr( all re$eive% a %ishonorable

%is$har e for a$tions that the( %i% not &arti$i&ate in5 In fa$t there *as

a roll $all $on%u$te% b( the o)$ers of the unit an% all of the 'en


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a$$use% in the in$i%ent *ere a$$ounte% for5 There is no %oubt that the

sol%iers servin at Bro*nsville *ere assi ne% to a $o'&letel( hostile

environ'ent5 !n e3a'&le of the at'os&here in Bro*nsville is best

&ortra(e% b(


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*el$o'e% or *ante%5 In another e3a'&le of fore*arnin of the

Houston Riot, 'e'bers of the Tenth 4avalr( re$eive% sni&er re fro'

$ivilians *hile travellin on train bet*een Huntsville an%


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&oli$e5 The brutalit( ena$te% on bla$ks in Houston alrea%( 'a%e the

situation in Houston hostile5 The stationin of the 'e'bers of the

T*ent( -ourth Infantr( turne% a hostile situation to an untenable

&o*%er ke 5 The 'en of the T*ent( -ourth Infantr( ha% serve% in

&revious %ut( assi n'ents .Phili&&ines, e* :e3i$o an% the Plains of

!'eri$a2 *here their servi$e *as res&e$te% an% a&&re$iate%5 These

'en re$eive% ust the o&&osite rea$tion fro' the *hite $iti+ens of

Houston5

In a%%ition to the 'istake of assi nin bla$k sol%iers to Houston, 'an(

of the 'e'bers of the T*ent( -ourth *ere fro' the orth, *here Ji'

4ro* la*s *ere not &art of %ail( life5 T*o in$i%ents o$$urre% at 4a'&

Lo an before the riot that al'ost be$a'e seriousF the refusal of bla$k

sol%iers to %rink *ater fro' a barrel 'arke% $olore% an% a ht

bet*een bla$k an% *hite *orkers *here the bla$k uar%s refuse% to

sto& the ht5 Thou h these a$tions taken se&aratel( 'a( see'

inno$ent, but $o'bine% *ith 1917 ra$e relations throu hout the


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also tol% b( the War De&art'ent that there *ere no other sol%iers to

%e&lo( to Houston5 The T*ent( -ourth *as a %istin uishe% unit *ith

'an( a$$o'&lish'ents8 the %efeat an% $a&ture of eroni'o, %efeat of

Des&era%os alon the < an% :e3i$o bor%er an% &rovi%in &rote$tion

of *a on trains safe &assa e to the West, the !r'( still ha% to

$onvin$e *hite Houstonians that these 'en *ere su&erior e roes5E

The bla$k sol%iers on this assi n'ent *ere *ell a*are of bla$k sol%iers

e3&erien$e in Te3as5 B( this ti'e the Bro*nsville In$i%ent %is$har es

ha% taken &la$e an% the 1911 an% 191 'istreat'ent b( the *hite

$iti+enr( of


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their a$tions $ause% so'e &roble's *ith the *hite $iti+ens, the

Battalion 4o''an%er .B 4DR2 'et *ith the 4hiefs of Poli$e an%

Houston ;le$tri$ 4o'&an( to *ork out an arran e'ent to %efuse the

situation5

White Houstonians %i% not a&&re$iate or like havin to &ro%u$e

their i%enti $ation to bla$k sol%iers5 Whites %i% not hesitate to sho*

their %is%ain for the 'en of the T*ent( -ourth5


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Houstonians an% the sol%iers, the relations *ith the Houston Poli$e

De&art'ent .HPD2 *as *orse5


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The HPD *as a ra$ist or ani+ation an% %evoi% of lea%ershi&5 4hief

Bro$k *as ne*l( installe% in the &osition5 His for'er &osition before

takin over as the 4hief of Poli$e *as the


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Those in $har e of the subseAuent investi ation of the riot *ante% to

insure the a$tions of those involve% in the riot *as seen as a

$ons&ira$( even thou h there *as no &roof to su&&ort their n%in s5

The investi ation $on%u$te% b( the 'ilitar( an% $ivilian authorities *as

Oa*e% %ue to the investi ators relian$e on *hite Houstonians *ho ha%

a bias a ainst the sol%iers5


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threaten retaliation on the *hite $iti+ens of Houston an% the HPD5

!$tin -irst


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so'e of the sol%iers5 In retaliation for his a$tions Daniels bo%( *as

re&eate%l( ba(onette% an% riOe butte% after he *as %ea%5

!n !r'( o)$er *ho trie% to $al' the situation *as 'istaken as a

&oli$e'an an% *as kille%5 The killin of an( $ivilians is ba% but I

un%erstan% as a for'er enliste% sol%ier an% non $o''issione% o)$er

this *as &robabl( one of the a$tions that resulte% in so'e of the %eath

senten$es re$eive% of those involve% in the riot5 The riot laste% for t*o

hours but those t*o hours *oul% have rave $onseAuen$es for all of

those involve%8 the $iti+ens of Houston, Houston Poli$e an% the 'en of

the #/"0 th I B 5 !s I state% earlier this *as the rst ra$e riot that the

'a orit( of those kille% *ere *hite an% not bla$k5 In 'ost of the ra$e

riots that ha% o$$urre% in the nation s histor(, bla$k $iti+ens su=ere%

the brunt of the %eath an% %estru$tion5 The Houston Riot 'a( have

been %i=erent be$ause the bla$k rioters *ere 'ilitar( traine% *hi$h

'a( have le% to 'ore %eaths instea% of in ur(5 The


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*as a *hite 'ob $o'in to the 4a'&5 Ho*ever %urin the

investi ation there *ere n%in s that *hite 'en *ho *ere not sol%iers

*ere rin on 4a'& Lo an an% so'e bullets foun% *here not 'ilitar(

issue% a''unition5 Be$ause of the Oa*e% investi ation *e 'a( never

kno* ho* the riot *as starte% an% *ho all &arti$i&ate% in the riot5

Those *ho &arti$i&ate% in the 'utin( as %es$ribe% b( 'ilitar(

investi ators oine% in either b( threat or inti'i%ation fro' their fello*

sol%iers5 :ost of the 'e'bers of In%ia .I2 4o'&an(, so'e of :ike .:2

an% sol%iers fro' other units &arti$i&ate% on the riot in Houston5 4PT

L5!5 Tu le in his state'ent to the 'ilitar( investi ators state%8 that a

bla$k sol%ier ran to hi' an% sai% that the bla$k sol%iers ha% be an a

'utin( .


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This 'utin( 'a( have been &revente% if the lea%ers of Houston

business an% overn'ent ha% &re&are% the $it( for the arrival of the

T*ent( -ourth I B 5 If the sol%iers ha% been treate% *ith res&e$t an%

not 'altreate% b( the &oli$e then the a$tions that o$$urre% on the

ni ht of !u ust "#, 1917 'a( not have taken &la$e5 The ne*ness of

the 'a(or an% the 4hief of &oli$e $ause% 'a or &roble's before an%

%urin the riot5 This $ause% a va$uu' of lea%ershi& an% e3&erien$e in

t*o o)$es that nee%e% stron lea%ershi& an% arnere% res&e$t fro'

their $onstituents5 The War De&art'ent shoul% not have sent bla$k

sol%iers to Te3as5 There *as a histor( of &ast $onOi$ts *ith *hite

Te3ans an% bla$k sol%iers5 The enfor$e'ent of Ji' 4ro* la*s in Te3as

this *as an assi n'ent also $ontribute% to a%%e% tension bet*een the

sol%iers an% the *hite $o''unit(5 46L5 e*'an un%erstoo% this an%

his a%vi$e *as i nore% for he kne* the $hara$ter an% the &ri%e of the

'en of the T*ent( -ourth I *ere not oin to ko*to* to southern

ra$is'5 The sol%iers of the #/"0 TH I B *ere left *ith t*o $hoi$es,

either to a$$e&t the ra$is' of Houston or to ht ba$k5 These sol%iers

$hose the latter, *hi$h le% to $onOi$t *ith the HPD an% Ji' 4ro* la*s

in Te3as5 These sol%iers *ere enra e% b( the treat'ent of bla$k

Houstonians an% so'e of the sol%iers took on the role of &rote$tors of

bla$k ri hts5 !fter reali+in that bla$ks ha% no $hoi$e but to a$$e&t

their $urrent $ir$u'stan$es, the 'en of the T*ent( -ourth %e$i%e% to

stan% u& for their o*n %i nit( an% for the bla$k $iti+ens of Houston5 In


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their atte'&t to for$e the &oli$e of the


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'utin(5 In an unOatterin %efense of 1< Henr( b( 46L5 e*'an an%

:!J5


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then there is no 'utin( for the sol%iers *ho %i% not turn on their

o)$ers of the unit5 The one o)$er *ho *as kille% *as 'istakenl(

taken for a &oli$e o)$er, *hi$h *as su&&orte% b( testi'on( $on%u$te%

%urin the investi ation5 The &ublishe% :uni$i&al Investi ation Re&ort

*as8

It *as a $lash bet*een the &oli$e an% the ne ro sol%iers that$ause% a ru'or

to rea$h $a'& that 4or&oral Balti'ore ha% been kille% b( a&oli$e'an5 The

ru'or s&rea% like *il% re a'on the ne ro sol%iers an% brou htto a $li'a3

the s'ol%erin feelin that the ne ro sol%iers ha% beenharborin a ainst the*hite $iti+ens, &arti$ularl( the &oli$e for$e for nearl( t*o *eeks5

!fter the riot, the sol%iers *ere &ut on a train an% sent ba$k to e*

:e3i$o *hile the( *aite% for the investi ation to be $on%u$te% an%

$o'&lete%5 6n$e $har es *ere &referre% a ainst the &arti$i&ants of the

riot those $har e% *ere returne% to Te3as5

-ort


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violatin four !rti$les of War %urin *arti'e8 the 0 th , *illfull(

%isobe(in a su&erior o)$erF the th , 'utin( breakin out of $a'&

an% atta$kin the 4it( of HoustonF 9" n%, *illful an% &re'e%itate%

'ur%erF an% the 9# r% assaultin a $ivilian5 7

!s this *as the lar est 'ur%er trial in the histor( of the nite%


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The se$on% trial of fteen sol%iers *as not hel% at The ift 4ha&el but

in the Infantr( Post ('nasiu'5 The $har es of these 'en *ere for

leavin of their &osts an% the &re'e%itate% 'ur%er of ;5:5 Jones5 .Ibi%,

">>92 G5 -ive sol%iers *ere a$$use% of 'ur%er5 The results *ere the

sa'e as in the rst trial, the 'en *ere foun% uilt( but the %i=eren$e

in this trial before the e3e$utions *ere $arrie% out both the *ar

De&art'ent an% Presi%ent Woo%ro* Wilson revie*e% the senten$es5

The thir% trial resulte% in the sa'e uilt( $onvi$tions5 6ne of the

$onseAuen$es be$ause of the ne*s on the trials to the !'eri$an

&ubli$, violen$e *as inOi$te% on bla$ks b( so'e *hites in the $ountr(5

The $ountr( be$a'e 'ore &olari+e% %ue to the &ubli$it( of the trial5

Presi%ent Wilson 'et *ith Bla$k lea%ers at the White House an%

%e$i%e% to $o''ute all but si3 of the re'ainin %eath senten$es

be$ause their a$tions *ere %ee'e% so brutal an% &re'e%itate% that

the( ha% to be &unishe%5 6verall, the !r'( &rose$ute% 117 sol%iers,

11> *ere $onvi$te%5 6ut of the 11> $onvi$tions, nineteen *ere

e3e$ute% an% 91 *ere senten$e% to various ter's5 The %is$i&line

re$eive% b( bla$k sol%iers *as often harsh an% enerall( %i% not t

their 'is$on%u$t5 The senten$in 'aintaine% the abnor'al

a% u%i$ation in re ar% to bla$k sol%iers $o'&are% to *hite sol%iers5

Durin the last $entur( *hile servin in the West, Bu=alo


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sli ht infra$tions5 It is no *on%er that the sol%iers of the T*ent( -ourth

I B re$eive% su$h harsh treat'ent5 The a$tions of the trial attorne( s

an% their $on%u$t of the investi ation an% &rose$ution *as hi hl(

Auestionable5 It is fair to Auestion *hether these sol%iers re$eive% a

fair trial5 The !r'( investi ators ha% alrea%( 'a%e u& their 'in%

%urin the $on%u$t of the investi ation of *ho *as at fault5

There *as an Ins&e$tor eneral .I 2 investi ation $on%u$te% after the

trials, *hi$h re$o''en%e% that three !r'( o)$ers be $ourt 'artiale%

for their a$tions %urin the riot5 The I investi ation also $oul% not

%e nitivel( state that the a$tions of the sol%iers at 4a'& Lo an *ere

&re'e%itate%5 There *ere so'e *hites in Houston *ho *ante% to use

the ni ht of !u ust "#, 1917 to start a ra$e riot5 Thou h the sol%iers of

the T*ent( -ourth I B *ere sent ba$k to e* :e3i$o a $o'&an( of

bla$k sol%iers %i% re'ain at 4a'& Lo an5 There *as a ru'or that these

bla$k sol%iers *ere oin to atta$k Houston5 The 4o''an%in eneral

of 4a'& Lo an :a or eneral .: 2 eor e Bell, Jr an% Houston :a(or

Hut$heson &ublishe% an e%itorial in the Houston Pa&er %en(in that

these sol%iers *ere oin to atta$k Houston5

!n assi n'ent that *as su&&ose% to onl( last seven *eeks

resulte% in the killin of &oli$e an% $ivilians in less than thirt( %a(s %ue

to bi otr( an% so$ial $onOi$t that the $it( of Houston an% the sol%iers

of the T*ent( -ourth Infantr( *ere not &re&are% for5 The riot in

Houston *as not a $ons&ira$( but a result of the bla$k sol%iers


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assi ne% to 4a'& Lo an bein %isres&e$te% b( the lo$al *hite

&o&ula$e an% the &oli$e5 These sol%iers *ere &rou% 'en an% *ere not

oin to take bein $alle% a ni er5 In the after'ath of the riot, as

soon as the( $oul% *hite Houstonians be an to $han e the narrative of

$ause of the riot fro' &oli$e brutalit( to out of $ontrol bla$k sol%iers5

The situation $oul% have been %eOe$te% if there ha% been oo%

lea%ershi& in Houston an% the HPD5 The en% result for Houston *as

that bla$ks left Houston b( the hun%re%s an% ra$e relations

%eteriorate% be$ause those in lea%ershi& &ositions faile% to lea% in a

ti'e of $risis5


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Biblio ra&h(

Bors$h, -re%5 The Lar est :ur%er Trial in the Histor( of the nite%>95

4hristian, arna5 Bla!$ Soldiers in *i Cro% Texas, /0112/1/( 5 4olle e


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the houston riot of 1917

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