New Orleans Race Riot Essay

The New Orleans race riot, also known as the New Orleans Massacre, occurred on July 30, 1866, in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It was one of the most violent incidents of racial violence during the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War.

The riot began when a convention of black and white Republicans, advocating for suffrage rights for African Americans, was met with opposition and hostility from white Democrats. Tensions escalated when a group of armed white supremacists attacked the convention attendees, including African American delegates and their white allies.

The violence spread throughout the city, with mob violence, looting, and targeted attacks against African Americans. The riot lasted for three days, resulting

These beliefs can shape collective behavior and mobilize individuals toward collective action.

In the case of the New Orleans race riot, generalized beliefs played a significant role in fueling the conflict and violence. The riot erupted amidst deep-seated racial tensions and the presence of strong racial beliefs prevalent in the society at the time.

White supremacists held generalized beliefs rooted in racism, white superiority, and the preservation of their perceived social and political dominance. These beliefs contributed to their opposition to the political and social advancement of African Americans and their resistance to granting equal rights and opportunities.

On the other hand, African Americans and their white allies held generalized beliefs centered around the principles of equality, justice, and civil rights. They believed in the necessity of dismantling racial oppression and achieving political representation and social

This violent act set off a chain of events, with widespread mob violence, targeted attacks against African Americans, and the destruction of homes and businesses.

The attack on the convention and the subsequent violence can be seen as precipitating factors that escalated existing tensions into full-scale collective violence. These incidents activated preexisting beliefs, grievances, and frustrations, and led to the mobilization of individuals and groups towards violent actions.

In the context of Smelser's Value Added Theory, the precipitating factors in the New Orleans race riot served as triggers that transformed latent structural strains and generalized beliefs into overt collective behavior. The attack on the convention and the ensuing violence were pivotal moments that unleashed and intensified the collective unrest in the city.

Overall, the precipitating factors in the New Orleans race riot played a crucial role in setting off the eruption of violence and can be analyzed within the framework of Smelser's theory, which identifies such factors as significant triggers for collective