Forty whites and sixty to seventy blacks have been arrested, and hundreds of wounded civilians have poured into Grady Hospital seeking medical attention. Over the next few days, small white vigilante groups track down and murder African Americans suspected of various crimes. The attacks become more and more isolated as rumors of large-scale counter-attacks from the African American community sweep through the city. By September 25th, efforts to end the conflict are underway, and black and white city leaders call for an end to the violence and bloodshed.
After the riot, black and white city leaders meet to discuss ways to move on and begin to rebuild Atlanta’s reputation. The riot will shape the development of Atlanta’s neighborhoods and communities for generations to come. African American business owners will abandon the central business district and move their businesses closer to black neighborhoods. Public areas will become increasingly segregated, and the African American community will turn inward, focusing on creating their own self-sustaining communities independent of their white neighbors.
This concludes the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot live blog event. This event was edited by Trevor Beemon, Manager of Digital Communications at the Atlanta History Center. All of the images and documents included in this event are courtesy of the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Special thanks to Sue VerHoef, Archivist; Paige Adair, Manager of Reprographic Services; and Heather Thayer Culligan, Collections Manager, for their help and support.
