From May 1 to May 3, 1866, one of the earliest post–Civil War race massacres occurred in Memphis, Tennessee. White mobs—including police officers and former Confederate soldiers—attacked Black communities in response to tensions over Black Union soldiers returning home and the growing push for civil rights. Over the three-day rampage, at least 46 African Americans were killed, more than 70 were injured, and over 90 Black homes, 12 schools, and 4 churches were burned to the ground. The massacre shocked the nation and fueled support for Radical Reconstruction policies and the 14th Amendment. It remains a sobering example of the violent backlash to Black freedom in the Reconstruction era.
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