Rage in the Gate City: The Story of the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot

by Rebecca Burns

In September 1906, triggered by sensational newspaper accounts accusing black men of sexually assaulting white women, Atlanta’s simmering racial tension exploded. Over four days of rioting, mobs of violent whites killed at least 10 blacks, looted black-owned businesses, and ransacked homes and neighborhoods. In the days immediately following the riot, black and white leaders came together in an unprecedented move, setting the stage for Atlanta’s emergence as the “city too busy to hate” decades later. But while their business-first attitude may have quelled the most overt rhetoric and raging violence, it also reinforced class prejudices that existed in both the black and white communities.

Released on the 100-year anniversary of the riots, Rage in the Gate City provides a compelling narrative of the events during the month that shaped Atlanta and explores questions of race and class prejudice that are as relevant today as they were a century ago.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Race, American History

228 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Author and journalist who focuses on Southern history and the intersection or race, religion, and politics.

Reviews

[Nick Black]

Hrmmm, I've decided I need to become an expert on Atlanta's history. Let's start here.

[Christopher Rutledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent journey through America’s macabre history by way of Atlanta, Georgia. The veil was pulled back on this true to life “horror story” for Black Atlantans; a common occurrence throughout early 20th century America.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew up in Atlanta and, while I have learned (as an adult) that there was a lot of racial tension at the turn of the century, I never learned about this. Just shameful. I will never understand how people can be so bigoted; they grew up with it, but who taught it to the first generation?

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a "must read" for anyone unfamiliar with the 1906 Atlanta race riots. Rebecca Burns is a respected journalist...and that might be why this book reads more like a newspaper article than a novel. I wish she had chosen a more story-telling-like style, but the impact of the events can still be felt with her straightforward approach.

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

This attempt at a narrative nonfiction is at times choppy and leaves you wanting more. But the journalistic style keeps the facts of Atlanta's troubled racial past at the forefront and is an important contribution to telling the full story of American history.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learned a ton about Atlanta's history. These riots still influence current race relations and segregation of the city.