Elaine and the National Narrative
The news reports below indicate the national importance of the Elaine Riot. They also demonstrate how the official white version of the events, emanating from local white sources, reporters and editors and picked up by large national presses, left little room for questioning the validity of the story of the black "uprising" and, thereby, ensured that this version would be accepted as true throughout the nation.
Articles from the Dallas Morning News
October 2-7, 1919
"Two White Men and Seven Negroes Dead--Women Moved 10/2
"Sixteen Persons Dead in Rioting in Arkansas" 10/03
"White Man Shot to Death" 10/3
"Three More Negroes Killed in Arkansas" 10/04
"Three More Negroes Killed . . . Statement Issued" 10/04
"Three More Negroes Killed in Arkansas" (cont') 10/04
"Leaders of Disturbance in Arkansas Arrested" 10/04
"Fifteen Negroes Arrested After Fight With Soldiers" 10/04
"Massacre of Whites Planned By Negroes" 10/06
"Massacre of Whites Planned By Negroes" (cont') 10/06
"50,000 Rounds of Ammunition" 10/06
"Arms At Negroe School Were For Training Students" 10/06
"Plans of Negroes in Arkansas Disclosed" 10/07
"Colored Baptists Strong for Peace" 10/31
"Colored Baptists Strong for Peace" (cont') 10/31
Articles from the Times Weekly Herald,
Forrest City, AR
October 3-31, 1919
"Many Killed in Elaine Race Riot" 10/03
"Negroes Plan to Kill All Whites" 10/10
"Arkansas Riots Toll is 193 Dead" 10/10
"Negroes Make Emphatic Denial that Uprising in St. Francis County is Planned" 10/24
"Brough Writes On Elaine Riots" 10/31
Articles from the Milwaukee Journal
October 2-November 19, 1919
"Troops Wounded In Battle With Armed Mobs" 10/2
"Two More Killed" 10/2
"Nine Killed In Race Riots" (cont') 10/2
"Negroes Fire On Governor" (headline) 10/2
"Troops Battle With Negroes In Arkansas 10/3
"2 More Negroes Shot By Troops--Over 200 Arrested For Uprising in Arkansas" 10/3
"IWW Planned Negroe Revolt" 10/6
"October 6 Set For Killings" 10/6
Articles from the Clarion, Jackson, Mississippi
"Negroes of Jackson Declare Themselves--Assert They Are Faithful, Lawful Citizens" 11/19
1120a.jpg 11/20
112619a.jpg 11/26
112619b.jpg 11/26
Articles from the San Francisco Examiner
"Three Whites, 7 Negroes Die In Race War in Arkansas Town" 10/2
