On the first three days of May 1866, more than 200 white residents of Memphis rampaged through the black neighborhoods of the city, attacking the newly emancipated, burning down homes, churches and schools, and murdering at least forty people. Next month marks the 150th anniversary of the tragic event, which was “one of the most important of the era,” Stephen V. Ash, UT professor emeritus in history, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal in this story.
The Commercial Appeal story highlighted Ash’s book, A Massacre in Memphis: The Race Riot That Shook the Nation One Year after the Civil War, which explores the impact of the tragedy. Read the full story online.
The City of Memphis is commemorating the sesquicentennial of the Memphis Massacre with a handful of events this month and in May, including several that feature Ash as guest speaker as well as his work. Learn more about the upcoming events online.