All Hell Broke Loose: American Race Riots from the Progressive Era through World War II

by Ann V. Collins

Overview

The United States has a troubling history of violence regarding race. This book explores the emotionally charged conditions and factors that incited the eruption of race riots in America between the Progressive Era and World War II.

While racially motivated riot violence certainly existed in the United States both before and after the Progressive Era through World War II, a thorough account of race riots during this particular time span has never been published. All Hell Broke Loose fills a long-neglected gap in the literature by addressing a dark and embarrassing time in our country's history—one that warrants continued study in light of how race relations continue to play an enormous role in the social fabric of our nation.

Author Ann V. Collins identifies and evaluates the existing conditions and contributing factors that sparked the race riots during the period spanning the Progressive Era to World War II throughout America. Through the lens of specific riots, Collins provides an overarching analysis of how cultural factors and economic change intersected with political influences to shape human actions—on both individual and group levels.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313395994
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	05/01/2012
Series:	Praeger Series on American Political Culture
Pages:	216
Sales rank:	316,557
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Ann V. Collins, PhD, is assistant professor of political science at McKendree University, Lebanon, IL. Collins has written numerous encyclopedia articles on American race riots.

Table of Contents

Series Foreword ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction xv

Chapter 1 Race Riots: Structural Factors, Cultural Framing, and Precipitating Events 1

Chapter 2 Racial Pogroms 13

Chapter 3 "If We Have to Choke the Current of the Cape Fear with Carcasses": Case Studies of Six Racial Pogroms 35

Chapter 4 The Red Summer of 1919 71

Chapter 5 "Look Out: You're Next for Hell": Case Studies of Six Race Riots 87

Chapter 6 Transitions: The Changing Nature of Race Riots 115

Epilogue 121

Notes 127

Bibliography 169

Index 189

What People are Saying About This

William M. Tuttle

"All Hell Broke Loose, by Ann V. Collins, fills a major void in our understanding of white-on-black violence in American history. In focusing on significant race riots that erupted between the Wilmington race riot of 1898 and the end of the Second World War, she has identified the "structural factors, cultural framing, and precipitating events," which caused blood to run in the streets of so many towns and cities across the country. Intelligently conceived and meticulously researched, this book is valuable not only for the scholar of race relations, but also for the general reader concerned about America's future."

Scott Ellsworth

"In this long-needed volume, Ann Collins has done a first-rate job of dissecting the devastating, yet often ignored, race riots which plagued the United States during the first half of the Twentieth century. Part carefully constructed narrative, part skillful analysis, All Hell Broke Loose has much to offer students, scholars, and policy-makers alike."

Editorial Reviews

The short book serves as a scholarly addition to the literature, but its more important contribution is as a reference-works source. In this capacity, the exhaustive bibliography provides an excellent compendium of the scholarship on the topic. . . . This is a very useful reference source for libraries at all levels and is recommended in that capacity.” —Choice

From the Publisher