Biden to Designate 1908 Race Riot Site Monument

President Joe Biden will designate the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot in Illinois as a national monument, using his authority under the Antiquities Act. The riot, which involved a White mob attacking Black neighborhoods, resulted in the deaths of eight Black residents and the destruction of over 35 businesses. The violence spurred the creation of the NAACP, the oldest civil rights organization in the U.S. This designation, marking the 116th anniversary of the event, follows ongoing local efforts to gain national recognition for the site. The move comes amid renewed calls for racial justice after the recent killing of an unarmed Black woman by a White sheriff’s deputy in Springfield. Biden will be joined by civil rights leaders and elected officials for the proclamation.