Reparations for New London riots of 1919

The New London riots of 1919 were a series of racial riots between white and black Navy sailors and Marines stationed in New London and Groton, Connecticut.
Race violence

White and black sailors and marines occupied separate living quarters at the Naval submarine base in Groton, Connecticut in 1919. Racial tensions were high in the Groton and New London area from May to June, and there were several confrontations between the two groups. Black sailors reported that white sailors attacked them, and white Marines accused the black sailors of waiting for them after dark when they crossed Long Cove Bridge. The police arrested two white “Blue Jackets”, and white sailors attacked the Hotel Bristol on Bank Street where the black sailors spent most of their free time, throwing a group of blacks out of the hotel on the street and beating them. The police and fire brigades were called but could not stop the rioting. The Marine Corps were eventually called, and they regained control.

On May 30, 1919, about 20 sailors and soldiers were arrested by police officers, marines, and firemen. The Greeneville Daily Sun reported that the trouble began when “negro sailors” entered the Coast Guard Academy in New London and attacked white sailors. On June 29, 1919, another riot erupted which required the Marines to restore order. Author Jan Voogd argues that this riot came to national attention because a fire hydrant was damaged by the marine vehicles. This caused a dispute between the submarine base and city authorities over who would pay for the damage, and so created a paper trail. Voogd posits that there may have been other race riots that went “uncounted, unobserved, and unacknowledged.”