The Houston race riot of 1917 took place from August 23 to 30, 1917, in Houston, Texas. It was a violent conflict between Black residents, mostly African American soldiers stationed at Camp Logan, and white civilians, including police officers. The event is often seen as a response to long-standing racial tensions, poor treatment of African American soldiers, and police brutality.

The immediate cause of the riot was the alleged assault of a white woman by a Black man, which led to the arrest of several Black soldiers. Tensions were already high due to prior incidents of racial injustice, and when rumors spread that Black soldiers were being mistreated by the police, it sparked an outburst of violence.

On the night of August 23, a group of Black soldiers from Camp Logan, enraged by the harsh treatment and racial discrimination they faced, began marching through the city, engaging in a firefight with police officers. The situation quickly escalated, and by the end of the riot, several people had been killed, with the majority of the casualties being Black soldiers and civilians.

After the riot was suppressed, the military authorities conducted a series of trials, resulting in the execution of 19 African American soldiers and the imprisonment of many others. The Houston race riot is an important moment in American history, illustrating the intersection of military service, racial injustice, and the deep-seated racial divisions in the U.S. at the time.