A violent episode of the Red Summer of 1919, in which white mobs attacked Black residents of Longview, Texas, with no perpetrators prosecuted.
Key Facts
- Dates of violence
- July 10–12, 1919
- Black fatalities
- 1 man shot and killed by armed whites
- Properties destroyed
- Multiple Black homes and businesses burned
- Military response
- Texas National Guard and Texas Rangers deployed
- Prosecutions
- None; numerous whites and blacks arrested
- Black suspects' fate
- Half advised never to return to Longview
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In the aftermath of World War I, racial tensions across the United States intensified during the period known as Red Summer. In Longview, Texas, early rumors of planned unrest circulated but were initially ignored by local officials, leaving the Black community vulnerable to organized white mob violence.
Between July 10 and July 12, 1919, white mobs attacked Black neighborhoods in Longview, Texas, killing one Black man, shooting others, and burning down multiple Black-owned homes and businesses, including those of a teacher and a doctor. Local officials eventually appealed to the governor, prompting the Texas National Guard to occupy the town and impose a curfew.
The riot ended under military occupation, but no one was prosecuted for the violence. Black suspects were transported to Austin for their safety, and half were warned against returning to Longview. The event became one of dozens of racial attacks during the Red Summer of 1919, illustrating the widespread failure to protect Black Americans or deliver legal accountability.