Today in civil rights history

On this day in 1919

On this day in 1919, a white mob began assaulting random Black Americans after a white woman was allegedly attacked in Washington, D.C.


On This Day is a daily series by Jerry Mitchell of the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting at Mississippi Today recounting historic moments in Civil Rights history.

Jerry Mitchell

Investigative Reporter

The stories of investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell have helped put four Klansmen and a serial killer behind bars. His stories have also helped free two people from death row, exposed injustices and corruption, prompting investigations and reforms as well as the firings of boards and officials. He is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a longtime member of Investigative Reporters & Editors, and a winner of more than 30 other national awards, including a $500,000 MacArthur “genius” grant. After working for three decades for the statewide Clarion-Ledger, Mitchell left in 2019 and founded the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. More by Jerry Mitchell


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