On this day, September 6, in 1876

Race riots erupted in Charleston, South Carolina after a hostile encounter between two opposing political parties. This occurred towards the end of the reconstruction era when many black citizens were intensely frustrated by the governments failed attempts at racial equality. That night in Charleston, a crowd of progressive black organizations armed themselves and confronted a group of black conservative politicians who they felt betrayed their race. When a number of whites attempted to interfere and side with the black conservatives, the crowd grew angry and set out on a two-day rampage assaulting white people in the streets, resulting in the death of one white man.