East St. Louis in St. Clair County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
S. 8th St. and Brady Ave.
Remembering the 1917 East St. Louis Race Riot
Photographed By Jason Voigt, November 5, 2019
1. S. 8th St. and Brady Ave. Marker
Erected 2017 by The East St. Louis 1917 Centennial Commission & Cultural Initiative, the Meridian Society, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. (Marker Number 10.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Illinois, Remembering the 1917 East St. Louis Race Riot series list. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1917.
Location. 38° 37.212′ N, 90° 9.638′ W. Marker is in East St. Louis, Illinois, in St. Clair County. Marker is at the intersection of South 8th Street and James R Thompson Boulevard, on the left when traveling east on South 8th Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: East Saint Louis IL 62201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. S. 6th St. and Railroad Ave. (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); East St. Louis Race Massacre, July 1917 (approx. 0.2 miles away); S. 8th St. and E. Broadway (approx. 0.2 miles away); 700 East Broadway (approx. 0.2 miles away); S. 5th St. and Railroad Ave.
this page online
Regarding S. 8th St. and Brady Ave.. On this site was a Southern Railway crossing. The night of the massacre, rail cars filled the tracks along the curve of Railroad Avenue. Armed men fired at the houses on these streets, and as African Americans fled, they were shot by the men standing along the tracks. The St. Louis Republic newspaper described: "[The victim] would zig-zag through the spaces between buildings. Then a well-directed shot would strike him. He would leap into the air. There were deep shouts, intermingled with shrill feminine ones. The flames would creep up to the body." If the man writhed, more shots would be fired. The flames engulfed him and rose further east along the road.
Source: Elliott Rudwick, "Race Riot at East St. Louis-1917" p. 46
Additional keywords. 1917 Race Riot
Photographed By Jason Voigt, November 5, 2019
2. S. 8th St. and Brady Ave. Marker
Marker is seen on the right of the empty lot
Credits. This page was last revised on November 7, 2019. It was originally submitted on November 6, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 205 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 7, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
