|
 The Riot of May 11-12, 1970 - Augusta, GA
N 33° 28.259 W 081° 57.714
17S E 410622 N 3703915
Historical marker located iat the south entrance to Augusta City Hall in downtown Augusta, Georgia.
Waymark Code: WM1C42D
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 05/31/2025
Views: 0
This historical marker about the riots that occurred in May 1970 is located at Augusta City Hall at 535 Telfair St, Augusta, GA 30901. The text reads:
On May 11, 1970, Augusta became the site of Georgia's largest uprising during the Civil Rights era. Hundreds of black citizens gathered at the Municipal Building to demand an investigation into the beating death of Charles Oatman, a 16-year-old African American, in the county jail. When white officials resisted, long-simmering grievances about racial injustice boiled over. Some protesters targeted Chinese-American and white-owned property for destruction. As the riot escalated police fired shotguns, killing six and wounding dozens. The Georgia National Guard occupied Paine College and black neighborhoods. Local trials convicted nearly 100 protesters. Despite an FBI investigation and federal trials of two white police officers, no official was convicted. “Kent-Augusta-Jackson-S.E. Asia” later became a national rallying cry, and the protests galvanized activism and accelerated desegregation in Augusta.
Type of Marker: Building
Marker #: 121-23
Date: 2020
Sponsor: Georgia Historical Society • The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History • The Augusta Riot 50th Observance Committee.
|
Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, yourself at the marker, your gps at the marker, or anything specific to the text on the marker. And don't forget to enjoy your visit.
Recent Visits/Logs:
| There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|
|