June 19, 2013

Crime History: White mob destroys Florida town of Rosewood

BY: SCOTT MCCABE JANUARY 1, 2013 | 8:00 PM
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On this day, Jan. 2, in 1923, a white mob destroyed the predominately black town of Rosewood, Fla., leaving eight dead.

The attack began when a white woman from nearby Sumner accused a black man of assaulting her on New Year's Day night.

Whites formed a posse and lynched a black man. The posse continued to grow over several days, besieging the homes of other black families in the town of 120 people.

At least six blacks and two whites died. When the rampage was over, every black-owned home, business and church had been burned down and every black resident forced to flee.

In 1994, the Florida legislature provided $2 million in compensation to survivors.

In massacre was the subject of the 1997 film "Rosewood" by John Singleton.

- Scott McCabe

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