100th Anniversary of Black Massacres in 1919

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2019 MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ELAINE PHILLIPS MASSACRES THAT CLAIMED OVER 200 LIVES OF BLACK MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN

Helena, AR -- 2019 marks one hundred years since one of America's deadliest massacres that claimed over two hundred lives of black men, women, and children. In 1919, over a hundred sharecroppers and local farmers met with the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America at a local church in a small rural community to discuss how to obtain fairer settlements from landowners. The black farmers were tired of being cheated out of their crops - this made the white landowners upset, the birth to the bloody slaughter began.

An article was written and published in Helena World newspaper said a white deputy was shot and killed by one of the black farmers. Not everyone agreed with the article that was published claiming that the black farmers shot first.

The local sheriff formed a posse of 500-1000 and provided weapons and ammunition to the posse. The posse came from Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Missouri to join forces to slaughter blacks. The governor called in five hundred federal troops, who arrested nearly two-hundred and sixty African American men over three days. One hundred and twenty-two African Americans were prosecuted for these events, seventy-three was charged with murder and twelve were convicted. Some of the older black people in the community said the numbers were much higher than two hundred.