Racial Violence in the United States Since 1526

Regrettably racial violence has been a distinct part of American history since 1660. While that violence has impacted almost every ethnic and racial group in the United States, it has had a particularly horrific effect on African American life. Listed below are some of the major incidents of racial violence profiled on BlackPast.org. They range from revolts of the enslaved to more recent urban uprisings such as the Rodney King Riot in Los Angeles in 1992. This page does not cover violence affecting a single individual such as lynchings or police shootings. Please look for those incidents elsewhere on the website. We are constantly updating this list but if you think other incidents should be included please send their names and a brief description to [email protected]. We especially invite you to write entries for this page.