New Orleans Riot
Encyclopedia
The New Orleans Riot, which occurred on July 30, 1866, was a violent conflict outside of the Mechanics Institute in New Orleans during the reconvened Louisiana
Constitutional Convention. The Radical Republicans in Louisiana, who reconvened the Constitutional Convention, were angered by the enactment of the Black Codes in Louisiana and by the legislature's refusal to give black men the vote. The reconvened convention was illegally formed and its intended purpose was to use the popular Republican
swing in Washington, D.C.
to attempt to take control of the state government. The riot itself "stemmed from deeply rooted political, social, and economic causes," and took place in part because of the battle "between two opposing factions for power and office."
New Orleans had been under martial law imposed by the Union
for the greater part of the American Civil War
but on May 12, 1866 Mayor John T. Monroe
was reinstated as acting mayor, the position he held before the civil war. The convention was led by Judge R. K. Howell and was undertaken with the aim to seize the state government.
The riot illustrated conflicts deeply rooted within the social structure of Louisiana
. It is noted that nearly half of the blacks in the riots were veterans of the Union army and more than half of the whites were former Confederate
soldiers. The reaction to the riot was felt throughout the United States
and led to the Republican Party
taking control of both the United States House of Representatives
and the United States Senate
in the United States House election, 1866
. The estimate of the number of casualties comes to 38 killed and 46 wounded.
The convention met at noon on July 30, but because there was a lack of a quorum
there was a recess until 1:30. When the convention members left the building they were met by the black marchers led by a marching band. On the corner of Common and Dryades streets across from the mechanics institute there was a group of armed whites standing and waiting for the black marchers. This group was full of radical Democratic
anti-abolitionists and ex-confederates who wished to dispel the convention to spell the growing power of blacks within the state. It is not known which group fired first but within minutes there was a battle in the streets. The black marchers, unprepared for a fight, dispersed with many seeking refuge within the mechanics institute. The white mob outside brutally attacked the marchers. The riot was soon dispelled and many of the white agitators were thrown in jail. The city was declared under martial law until August 2.
) was one of distaste for the present Reconstruction strategy and a change of leadership. In the 1866 House of Representatives
and Senate
elections, the Republicans won in a landslide winning 77% of congress. A Reconstruction Bill was accordingly passed over the President's veto, early in 1867. Under act, Louisiana
was put into the Fifth Military District
. The effect in Louisiana was a removal of every political member associated with the riot and the ordering of the right to vote by all citizens except ex-Confederates.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
Constitutional Convention. The Radical Republicans in Louisiana, who reconvened the Constitutional Convention, were angered by the enactment of the Black Codes in Louisiana and by the legislature's refusal to give black men the vote. The reconvened convention was illegally formed and its intended purpose was to use the popular Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
swing in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to attempt to take control of the state government. The riot itself "stemmed from deeply rooted political, social, and economic causes," and took place in part because of the battle "between two opposing factions for power and office."
New Orleans had been under martial law imposed by the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
for the greater part of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
but on May 12, 1866 Mayor John T. Monroe
John T. Monroe
John T. Monroe was the 19th and 32nd mayor of New Orleans .He was born May 6, 1822, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, US or in Howard's County, Missouri, US....
was reinstated as acting mayor, the position he held before the civil war. The convention was led by Judge R. K. Howell and was undertaken with the aim to seize the state government.
The riot illustrated conflicts deeply rooted within the social structure of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. It is noted that nearly half of the blacks in the riots were veterans of the Union army and more than half of the whites were former Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
soldiers. The reaction to the riot was felt throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and led to the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
taking control of both the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in the United States House election, 1866
United States House election, 1866
Elections to the United States House of Representatives were held in 1866 to elect Representatives to the 40th United States Congress.The elections occurred just one year after the American Civil War ended at Appomattox, in which the Union defeated the Confederacy....
. The estimate of the number of casualties comes to 38 killed and 46 wounded.
Tension builds
The Constitutional Convention of 1864 gave greater freedoms to blacks within Louisiana but did not provide for a provision for black voting rights. The black Republican radicals, with the intent of changing the voting laws of Louisiana and eliminating the Black Codes, attempted to reconvene the convention, and succeeded. At least 200 black Union war veterans were confirmed beaten to death in the street. The illegality of the convention was because the elected chairman Howell had left the original convention before its conclusion and was therefore was not considered a member, the constitution was accepted by the people, and the radicals, only 25 of whom were present at the convention of 1864, did not make up a majority of the original convention. On July 27 the black supporters of the convention met on the steps of the Mechanics institute and were stirred by many speeches by abolitionist activists, most notably Anthony Paul Dostie and former Governor of Louisiana George Michael Hahn. These speeches called for a march upon the Mechanics Institute to show support for the convention.The riot
The convention met at noon on July 30, but because there was a lack of a quorum
Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group...
there was a recess until 1:30. When the convention members left the building they were met by the black marchers led by a marching band. On the corner of Common and Dryades streets across from the mechanics institute there was a group of armed whites standing and waiting for the black marchers. This group was full of radical Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
anti-abolitionists and ex-confederates who wished to dispel the convention to spell the growing power of blacks within the state. It is not known which group fired first but within minutes there was a battle in the streets. The black marchers, unprepared for a fight, dispersed with many seeking refuge within the mechanics institute. The white mob outside brutally attacked the marchers. The riot was soon dispelled and many of the white agitators were thrown in jail. The city was declared under martial law until August 2.
The backlash
The reaction to the New Orleans riot and a similar incident (Memphis Riots of 1866Memphis Riots of 1866
The Memphis Riots of 1866 refers to the violent events that occurred from May 1 to 3 in Memphis, Tennessee. The racial violence was ignited by tensions during Reconstruction following the American Civil War...
) was one of distaste for the present Reconstruction strategy and a change of leadership. In the 1866 House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
elections, the Republicans won in a landslide winning 77% of congress. A Reconstruction Bill was accordingly passed over the President's veto, early in 1867. Under act, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
was put into the Fifth Military District
Fifth Military District
The 5th Military District was a temporary administrative unit of the United States set up during the Reconstruction period following the American Civil War. It included Texas, from Brazos Santiago Harbor, , at the Mexican border, north to Louisiana. General Philip Sheridan served as its first...
. The effect in Louisiana was a removal of every political member associated with the riot and the ordering of the right to vote by all citizens except ex-Confederates.
External links
- Online text of John Kendall's History of New Orleans
- Online text of Alicee Fortier's A History of Louisiana
- Online text of James G. Hollandsworth's book An Absolute Massacre: The New Orleans Race Riot of July 30, 1866
- Online text of Emily Hazen Reed's Life of A. P. Dostie, Or, The Conflict in New Orleans
- Center for History and New Media
- 'Impeach Andrew Johnson'