Identifier: negroinchicagost00chic_0 (find matches)
Title: The Negro in Chicago; a study of race relations and a race riot
Year: 1922 (1920s)
Authors: Chicago Commission on Race Relations
Subjects: African Americans Race riots
Publisher: Chicago, Ill., The University of Chicago Press
Contributing Library: Wellesley College Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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ice were insufficient in numbers,that no improvement was apparent in the general situation, and that thereforethe troops were necessary. He saw no reason, however, for putting the cityunder martial law. Other military men were of the same opinion. During all of this time Governor Lowden kept in close touch with thesituation from his quarters at the Blackstone Hotel. When the riot appearedto be subsiding he started to keep an appointment out of town but, on hearingthat there was a renewal of violence, returned to the city on a special train.When the request was made for the active co-operation of the troops he actedwith promptness. The troops themselves were clearly of high caliber. For the most partthey were in home service during the war and were older men than are ordina-rily found in militia organizations. They usually came from the highertype of business men, men of affairs, men that knew how to think, as one oftheir commanding officers described them. They were all American-born.
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THE MILITIA AXD NEGROES OX FRIENDLY TERMS THE CHICAGO RIOT 41 The militia discipline was of the best. Not a single case of breach ofdiscipline was reported to the regimental commanders. No guardhousewas necessary during the riot, a remarkable commentary on troop conduct. The militia had been given special drills in the suppression of riots andinsurrections for a year and a half previous to this occasion, and were, in theestimation of their commanding officer, probably better prepared for riotdrill than any troops ever put on duty in the state. The activities of the militia did not begin as early as many citizens wished.Though troops began to mobilize in the armories on Monday night, July 28,they were not called to actual duty on the streets until 10:30 p.m., Wednesday,July 30. When called to active duty they were distributed in the areas ofconflict. Between 5,000 and 6,000 troops were called out. This number wasmade up entirely of white troops from the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Infan

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