History & Society

list of race riots and massacres in the United States

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race riot

Racial violence is woven throughout the fabric of the history of the United States. In the centuries following the initial colonization of North America, racial and ethnic minorities—especially African American and Indigenous people—have repeatedly been targeted by white people, often as part of organized actions undertaken by white supremacist groups. Violent race riots often devolved into massacres, though in some instances mass death was intended from the outset, as in many of the military massacres of Native Americans. Since the 1900s, there have also been a number of protests and riots led by African Americans in response to police brutality and continued inequality and discrimination. The following is a list of some of the major incidents of racially motivated violence in U.S. history, organized chronologically. See also slave rebellions.

Melissa Petruzzello