The Blackburn Riots were Detroit's first race riots and led to discriminatory ordinances that drove most of the city's African-American population to Canada.
Key Facts
- Year of riots
- 1833
- Trigger
- Arrest and planned return of Thornton and Rutha Blackburn to slavery
- Bond mandated per Black resident
- 500 USD
- Jail set aflame
- July 11 and July 15, 1833
- Troops called in
- July 30, 1833
- Outcome for Blackburns
- Both escaped to Canada and were reunited
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Thornton and Rutha Blackburn, an African-American couple who had escaped slavery in Louisville, Kentucky in 1831, were captured by slave catchers in Detroit in 1833 and jailed pending return to their enslavers. This decision enraged Detroit's African-American community, who viewed it as a grave injustice and organized to resist the enforcement of the ruling.
African-American residents smuggled Rutha Blackburn out of jail, and the following day a mob stormed the jail, beating authorities and freeing Thornton. The couple fled to Canada. White Detroiters retaliated by attacking African Americans and burning their buildings. The jail and adjacent stables were set on fire on July 11 and 15, forcing the mayor to deploy troops on July 30 to restore order.
Following the riots, Detroit enacted discriminatory city-wide ordinances requiring every African-American resident to pay a $500 bond. Unable to meet this financial burden, the majority of Detroit's African-American population relocated to Canada, dramatically reducing the community's presence in the city.
Political Outcome
Troops restored order; discriminatory ordinances enacted, causing most African-American residents to emigrate to Canada.
African-American community present in Detroit with limited legal protections
Majority of African-American population relocated to Canada following punitive bond ordinances