Biden Designates Springfield Race Riot Site as National Monument

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Facts

  • US Pres. Joe Biden signed a proclamation under the Antiquities Act to establish the Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument in Illinois on Friday, marking the 116th anniversary of the incident that inspired the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).[1]
  • This comes as bills introduced last year in the House of Representatives and Senate to establish a monument to the Springfield Race Riot have stalled despite bipartisan sponsorship.[2][3]
  • The monument will cover 1.57 acres of federal land and is intended to be a reminder of the two days of racial violence that erupted in Springfield, Ill., in August 1908.[4][5]
  • The riot broke out after a white lynch mob gathering outside the local jail learned that two jailed Black men had been transferred to another facility. Several people died and dozens of Black-owned homes and businesses were razed.[6][7]
  • This is the sixth national monument designated under the Biden administration. Three years ago, Biden became the first sitting president ever to visit a site in Tulsa, Okla., where hundreds of Black Americans were killed in 1921.[8][9]
  • The designation comes weeks after Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman who called 911 for help, was fatally shot at her home in Springfield by an Illinois sheriff's deputy who now faces first-degree murder charges and others.[10][11]

Sources: [1]The White House, [2]Congress (a), [3]Congress (b), [4]Associated Press, [5]NPR Online News, [6]New York Times, [7]Wsj, [8]Reuters.com, [9]The Hill, [10]CBS and [11]FOX News.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by Washington Post. Given that a bipartisan bill had stalled in Congress, Biden used his executive authority to commemorate this important tragedy in US history. The establishment of the site of the Springfield Race Riot as a national monument will raise awareness over this outrageous episode of racial violence and help the fight against racism.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by The Washington Times. Put aside the merit of designating a national monument at the site of the Springfield Race Riot, it's concerning that Biden continues to use his unchecked authority under the Antiquities Act to bypass democratic debate in Congress. While areas of historic importance must indeed be preserved, accountability in the designation process is non-negotiable.