The Robert Charles riots of July 24–27, 1900 in New Orleans, Louisiana are sparked after African-American laborer Robert Charles fatally shoots a white police officer during an altercation and escapes arrest
A large manhunt for him ensues, and a white mob starts rioting, attacking blacks throughout the city.
The manhunt for Charles begins on Monday, July 23, 1900, and ends when Charles is killed on Friday, July 27, shot by a special police volunteer.
The mob shoost him hundreds more times, and beats the body.
White rioting continues, with several blacks killed after Charles has died.
A total of twenty-eight people are killed in the riots, including Charles.
More than fifty people are wounded in the riots, including at least eleven who have to be hospitalized.
Blacks make up most of the fatalities and casualties.
Robert Charles (b. circa 1865) had come to New Orleans from Mississippi.
He was a self-educated activist for civil rights.
He believed in self-defense for the African-American community and encouraged African Americans to move to Liberia to escape racial discrimination and violence.
