SPRINGFIELD — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) released the following statement following news that President Joe Biden will formally designate the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot as a national monument using his authority through the Antiquities Act. Budzinski led a letter to President Biden calling for this action in December.
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“More than a century ago, Springfield’s Black community was attacked in an act of hateful and senseless violence. While the 1908 Springfield Race Riot demonstrates our nation’s deep history of racial violence, it also sparked the creation of the NAACP – reflecting the strength and resilience of Black Americans in the tireless fight for civil rights. Since coming to Congress, I’ve been pushing for the Race Riot site to be designated as a national monument and I’m so excited to see it finally receive this long overdue recognition. Today’s announcement is a critical step forward to honor those who were killed in the 1908 attack and acknowledge the impact this tragedy had on the Springfield community and our nation as a whole. I couldn’t be more grateful to our local leaders and community members for their partnership in advocacy and I look forward to seeing this history preserved for generations to come.”
During the 1908 Springfield Race Riot, a mob of white residents attacked Springfield’s Black community, burning down homes and businesses and attacking hundreds of residents for no other reason than the color of their skin. In the aftermath of the riot, the NAACP was formed. During an excavation as part of the Springfield Rail Improvements project, foundations and artifacts from homes destroyed during the riot were uncovered. An agreement with community members was reached in 2018 to excavate the remains and designate the uncovered site a memorial.
Congresswoman Budzinski has advocated to make the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot a national monument since the beginning of her term in Congress, including as the lead of the bipartisan 1908 Race Riot National Monument Act with Congressman Darin LaHood. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth lead companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. In December of 2023, Budzinski sent a letter to President Biden asking him to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to designate the site as a national monument.
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