Race riots are the most glaring and contemporary displays of the racial strife running through America’s history. Mostly urban, mostly outside the South, and mostly white-instigated, the number and violence of race riots increased as blacks migrated out of the rural South and into the North and West’s industrialized cities during the early part of the twentieth-century. Though white / black violence has been the most common form of racial violence, riots involving Asians and Hispanics are also included and examined.
Race riots are the most glaring and contemporary displays of the racial strife running through America’s history. Mostly urban, mostly outside the South, and mostly white-instigated, the number and violence of race riots increased as blacks migrated out of the rural South and into the North and West’s industrialized cities during the early part of the twentieth-century. While most riots have occurred within the past century, the encyclopedia reaches back to colonial history, giving the encyclopedia an unprecedented historical depth. Though white on black violence has been the most common form of racial violence, riots involving other racial and ethnic groups, such as Asians and Hispanics, are also included and examined. Organized A-Z, topics include: notorious riots like the Tulsa Riots of 1921, the Los Angeles Riots of 1965 and 1992; the African-American community’s preparedness and responses to this odious form of mass violence; federal responses to rioting; an examination of the underlying causes of rioting; the reactions of prominent figures such as H. Rap Brown and Martin Luther King, Jr to rioting; and much more.
Many of the entries describe and analyze particular riots and violent racial incidents, including the following: Belleville, Illinois, Riot of 1903 Harlem, New York, Riot of 1943 Howard Beach Incident, 1986 Jackson State University Incident, 1970 Los Angeles, California, Riot of 1992 Memphis, Tennessee, Riot of 1866 Red Summer Race Riots of 1919 Southwest Missouri Riots 1894-1906 Texas Southern University Riot of 1967 Entries covering the victims and opponents of race violence, include the following: Black Soldiers, Lynching of Black Women, Lynching of Diallo, Amadou Hawkins, Yusef King, Rodney Randolph, A. Philip Roosevelt, Eleanor Till, Emmett, Lynching of Turner, Mary, Lynching of Wells-Barnett, Ida B. Many entries also cover legislation that has addressed racial violence and inequality, as well as groups and organizations that have either fought or promoted racial violence, including the following: Anti-Lynching League Civil Rights Act of 1957 Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 Ku Klux Klan National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Nation of Islam Vigilante Organizations White League Other entries focus on relevant concepts, trends, themes, and publications. Besides almost 300 cross-referenced entries, most of which conclude with lists of additional readings, the encyclopedia also offers a timeline of racial violence in the United States, an extensive bibliography of print and electronic resources, a selection of important primary documents, numerous illustrations, and a detailed subject index.
Awards
CHOICE 2007 Outstanding Academic Title, January 1, 2007
Reviews
"Racial violence and the specific phenomenon of the race riot have always been part of the American landscape, but have seldom been covered encyclopedically. Rucker and Upton seek to fill that gap with this outstanding two-volume work, which focuses on American race riots (African American and white) from the Civil War to the present. . . . The body of the work consists of nearly 205 cross-referenced entries written by 80 scholars; each entry concludes with a section of Further Readings. Discussions of specific riots obviously predominate, with expected related entries like the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr., Lynching, The NAACP, and Al Sharpton well-represented, as are less-expected entries like Black Nadir, Exodusters, Niagara Movement, Radio Free Dixie, and White Capping. Special features include a chronology of American race riots and related events from 1863 through 2005, an impressive compilation of primary source documents, and an extensive bibliography of books, articles, and Web sites. This set is indispensable for academic libraries with a focus on ethnic studies, and is highly recommended for other academic libraries and large public libraries. Essential. Ethnic studies collections supporting upper-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers."—Choice, June 1, 2007
"The set's 265 A-to-Z entries-including information regarding events, individuals, organizations, and movements, and written by 80 contributors-focus on race riots, although, as explained in the introduction, the set's broader focus is on white-black racially motivated violence. A list of entries begins the set, as well as a handy guide to topics. . . . Most articles are about two pages long, though key topics are given more space (e.g., the desegregation article receives almost eight pages). Articles also contain lists for further reading and include bold-texted cross references. A smattering of black-and-white, half-page images is included. Over 20 relevant primary documents are grouped together at the end of the final volume. . . . [R]ecommended for larger public and academic collections."—Library Journal, May 15, 2007
"Encyclopedia of American Race Riots is a serious and scholarly work about an aspect of American racial history that commands attention. Editors Rucker and Upton, along with their contributors, provide readers with a reference that is worthy of its topic. It admirably compliments the other titles in this series of references and will be a worthy addition to collections in both academic and public libraries."—Against the Grain, September 1, 2007
"Although people tend to think of racial issues being more prevalent in the South, this work shows that race riots and incidents have occurred in all parts of the U.S. Arranged alphabetically, more than the 260 entries deal with key incidents, individuals, organizations, concepts, themes, events, and trends associated with race riots in America. Particular emphasis is on the twentieth century and on white-black relations; however, other racial and ethnic groups, such as Asians and Hispanics, are included....The set provides a more detailed look at race riots than resources on the broader topic of African-American history. Written for both specialist and non-specialist readers, it would be a good addition to academic and large public libraries."—Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin, May 15, 2007
"Essays are well-written and eminently readable, providing a degree of editorial commentary and also using everyday language to keep readers engaged as they make their way through the many dates and names that a concise encyclopedic entry often contains. Of course, some topics are well known, but others are quite obscure, leading one to appreciate the depth of information included here."—Reference Reviews, November 1, 2007
"In addition to detailing examples of collective violence between white and black Americans since the Civil War, including riots, lynchings, vigilantism, assassinations, racist police violence, etc., the 265 entries presented by the editors in this two- volume encyclopedia cover a broad range of related subjects and themes. Among these, broadly speaking, are anti-lynching and civil rights organizations and activists, government organizations and officials, ideologies and policies, legislation and court cases, newspapers and reporting, racist organizations and leaders, literature and art, social issues, and war and the military. The entries, which range in length from 500 to 1000 words each, are cross-referenced and include bibliographical guides to further reading. Also included in the encyclopedia are a chronology; a selection of 23 primary documents; a short essay on the recent historiography of race riots; a subject index; and a bibliography of book, articles, and web sites."—Reference & Research Book News, February 1, 2007
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