IL HR0134

The 1908 Springfield Race Riot began on August 14 when a white mob attempted to lynch two Black inmates; after discovering they were transferred, the mob went on a rampage resulting in at least 16 deaths and destruction of Black homes and businesses.

Nearly 2,000 Black residents fled Springfield during and after the riot, with personal and property damages exceeding $4 million in current valuation suffered overwhelmingly by Black citizens.

The National Negro Committee was formed in February 1909 in response to the riot and later became the NAACP.

The National Park Service concluded in 2019 that the archaeological site associated with the 1908 Race Riot likely meets criteria for inclusion in the National Parks System; the site was designated the 30th addition to the African American Civil Rights Network in August 2020.

Urges President Joe Biden and federal leaders to designate the 1908 Race Riot Sites in Springfield, Illinois as a national monument to be managed by the National Park Service.