Beaumont race riot of 1943

In 1942, socioeconomic conditions worsened as wartime shortages affected more people. This aggravated interracial tensions in Beaumont. Economic restrictions limited the availability of consumer goods, but defense workers were making good money and were ready for some goods after the privations of the Great Depression. President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced a policy to end discrimination in employment in the defense industries through his Executive Order 8802 of 1941; he wanted to encourage all American citizens to support the war effort. From 1940 to 1943, Beaumont had grown more than 36% from 59,000 to 80,000 persons; both African Americans and whites flocked to the city for the industrial jobs. As the population grew, African Americans maintained their proportion of roughly one third of the total population. His military unit protested to the United States Department of War over the treatment by local police. ==Rioting==

In the immediate event, starting June 15, 1943, a white woman in Beaumont said she had been raped by a black man. Learning of the charge, white workers confronted blacks at the Pennsylvania Shipyard and violence erupted. About 2,000 white workers, joined by 1,000 more whites, advanced on the jail where suspects were held. By the time they reached the jail, the mob numbered 4,000. The woman was unable to identify any prisoner as her alleged assailant. Breaking into small groups, white mobs attacked and terrorized black neighborhoods near the jail in the central and north parts of the city, and destroyed 100 homes. The mayor requested assistance from the Texas Defense Guard (Later known as Texas State Guard). Adjutant General A. B. Knickerbocker of Texas sent one battalion of Texas Defense Guard from Beaumont and two battalions from Port Arthur, and acting governor A. M. Aikin Jr., speaker pro tem of the State House, established a curfew and martial law. A total of about 1,800 guardsmen, 100 state highway police, and 75 Texas Rangers were ordered in to the city. The state highway police closed it off to prevent whites from outside entering the city to join the violence. The armed forces declared the city off limits for all military personnel. Martial law was maintained by state units until June 20, during which more violence took place. By the end of the violence, one black man and one white man were dead, 50 persons were injured, and more than 200 were arrested. Another black man died from his injuries months later. ==Aftermath==

By June 20, a military tribunal had reviewed the cases of the 206 arrested. Twenty-nine cases were turned over to police authorities on charges of assault and battery, unlawful assembly, and arson. The remainder of suspects were released. No one was prosecuted for the deaths that occurred during the riots. Gradually blacks were allowed to return to work and defense production was resumed. ==In film==

The Example is a 2016 short film about the riot written by Gordon S. Williams and directed by Wyatt Cagle. ==See also==