President Biden establishes civil rights monument

On the 116th anniversary of the Springfield Race Riot, President Joe Biden signed a proclamation establishing the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument in Springfield, Illinois. The new monument will preserve 1.57 acres of federal land and highlight a significant but painful moment in American history, when a white mob attacked the Black community in Springfield, leading to the lynching of two Black men and widespread destruction of homes and businesses. “Our history is not just about the past; it’s about our present and our future,” Biden said during the announcement. “The Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument will help us remember an unspeakable attack on the Black community and honor the Americans who came together in its aftermath to help deliver on the promise of civil rights.” The Springfield 1908 Race Riot& was a violent response by a white mob to the allegations against two Black men, Joe James and George Richardson, held in the Sangamon County Jail. The mob’s demands for their release escalated into widespread violence after the men were moved to another location for their safety. Throughout the weekend of August 14–16, 1908, two Black men, Scott Burton and William Donnegan, were lynched, and dozens of...