Gregory Mixon traces the roots of the Atlanta Riot of 1906, exploring the intricate political, social, and urban conditions that led to one of the defining events of race relations in southern and African-American history. On September 22, 1906, several thousand white Atlantans rioted, ostensibly because they believed that black men had committed "repeated assaults on the white women of Fulton County," according to newspapers at the time. Four days after the massacre began, 32 people had died and 70 were wounded.Mixon acknowledges the traditional interpretation of factors that precipitated...

"Mixon's examination of black militias in post-emancipation Georgia and their fight for citizenship and equality provides a powerful and compelling portrait of the social revolution process at the grassroots level."--Jeffrey R. Kerr-Ritchie, author of Freedom's Seekers: Essays on Comparative Emancipation

"Tells the story of the rise and fall of black militia units in Georgia during the post-Civil War era and highlights how black militia service symbolized citizenship, political activism, social standing, and the hope for a bright future for African Americans throughout the United...