The Elaine Massacre: A Teach-In with Dr. Jemar Tisby

The Elaine Massacre is the bloodiest race riot most people have never heard of.
One hundred twenty-three years ago, on September 30, 1919, Black sharecroppers in Phillips County, Arkansas near the town of Elaine, gathered in a clapboard church to strategize about negotiating fair prices for the cotton they picked.
The group of Black farmers knew such meetings would be under scrutiny by the white establishment, so they set armed guards outside to keep watch.
A group of white men showed up. A shootout ensued. One of the white men was wounded. Another was killed.
Over the next two days hundreds of white people, including 500 U.S. troops called in from Camp Pike, converged on Elaine and the county. They hunted down and targeted almost any Black person they could find.
Only now, more than a century later, is the Elaine Massacre beginning to garner the attention it deserves.
Learn more in this teach-in about the Elaine Massacre.
Donate to support the documentary project [Venmo, PayPal.Me, CashApp: @csfilmfoundation].
Subscribe: JemarTisby.Substack.com

[@kasharacarter597]

In two months I will be 50 born and raised in Arkansas & I’ve heard about Elaine Arkansas but it went OVER my head that it is my place of living in the same state where this actually happened 😢

[@StephenMatlock]

It's both infuriating and draining to learn about our past -- we need divine help to repent and to change our ways, and then to restore what has been taken, repair what has been broken, and recover what was lost.

[@deloreswillis9224]

I ECHO the same sentiments!!!!

[@jemartisby4262]

What did you think of this teach-in? Let me know here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSelUQIJ6w8ZcnvEuuxDhPHAyYyVjmyvJoxnrQi8APC5KMJ8lw/viewform

[@gregorysco]

Dr. Tisby, I went on to complete the survey and it said I needed permission. Am I missing something? I simply clicked the link and got the message.

[@DentedDreamsInc]

I'm from Elaine Arkansas. Not only that, I use to sense that day all the time as a child. Not only that. I remember sensing those spirits surrounding me, as I played, as a child. Not only that, I said: " Okay" to whatever they said or asked me to do. I assume, because I can't remember what. However, not only that, God offered me a job, when I was a kid, too. I accepted it. Today, I have suffered several attempts on my life, including in Elaine in 1994. Then I moved to Michigan & some more attempts. Today, I know why. It's because of my mission. Remember that job from God? Remember that: "Okay" from me responding to the spirits of 1919? God made me an artist & so, I drew what I used to sense & wrote a book that includes about that race massacre. As a kid, I remember sensing that massacre & I remember feeling sadness, anger, hopelessness, dread, & shame. I just realized who that shame were from. The whites? The whites that either was apart of the lie or didn't do anything to stop the massacre. My mission is to bring my business home & CHANGE GAMES! Black & Whites would have to agree to help me do it. That is the only way we can heal the land because we can't use violence to do it, so we must used love & that love is to come from me. My willingness to be target from hate & also be inclusive to all people, as God has instructed me to be. God has given me everything project I need to do it.

[@medafingazDMOC2114]

Rest in paradise ancestors love y'all definitely 💐🌻🌹🌷⚘️🌺 SHALOM Shalawam

[@rmajors49]

Wow. Good info about the Elaine Massacre. Did not know about it. Need to be talk in school about this.

[@boydcurtis2865]

Not if the authors of the 2025 project have anything to say about it. To put it another way this truth would immediately be branded as “ woke”. The truth would make make children ashamed and should therefore never be spoken. I say again the “TRUTH” should never be spoken due to the shame it might/could cause.

[@jemartisby4262]

Be sure to donate to support the "Valley of Dry Bones" film documentary project about the Elaine Massacre: PayPal + Venmo + CashApp: @csfilmfoundation (cherry street film foundation)

[@dwliu1]

This was excellent and well done. We need this story to be told.

[@MJGols]

I am so thankful to have encountered this teach in. I am currently reading Warmth of Other Suns and she mentioned how far a town was from Elaine and I just happened to research this event. It is important for all students to learn about the events that are the backbone and fabric of the way we live today. I support you! My goal is to develop a course for middle school/ freshmen students teaching about the great migration with lessons, activities and the whole beyond. I am just in awe of everything that I am learning and I cannot wait to synthesize this knowledge for young minds in terms of understanding how we came to be in this nation. I think this is very important for our youth coming up and beyond.

[@boydcurtis2865]

Not if the authors of the 2025 project have anything to say about it. To put it another way this truth would immediately be branded as “ woke”. The truth would make

[@judgeclark8017]

I was born in Helena/West Helena I've been to the church in Elaine it still stands.

[@bilalrobinson4300]

My grandfather was sharecropper in Gould Arkansas, 1919 just 70 mile away condition for all black the same.

[@DentedDreamsInc]

Born & raised. God saw it. Trust me, He told me & you're right, the truth must be told & so I wrote & drew about it. However, I have to be careful to not expose too much.

[@forestreader]

nightmare world

[@eedchen9103]

wow what kind of humans who do that to the other ,,,,,,,,but selfish people i guess !!!!!

[@jerrellstrawn6409]

Elaine was the greatest town on earth to grow up in.

[@ucanhitme]

Small world my folks are from Elaine. We should connect.

[@bradleyriddle6730]

I'm curious Dr. Tisby where does Harrison Ar. Rank as to riots in this era? Harrison has a stigma attached to it as the most racist town in (Arkansas) or (world)?

[@maximotest2226]

Oh the cotton it so horrible😂

[@gregorysco]

Donation made… amazing story that I am extremely grateful to have heard and looking forward to learning more.

[@deloreswillis9224]

Me 2 smh

[@CountofMontecristo-iv9cy]

I'm a black man in 2023 and it's sad to see all these Sisters laying up with White Men after all the hell they put us through. Hell my homeboy come in from work last week and caught his wife in bed with a town deputy. This sh** going on all over the South. Yall feel me

[@kungfukenny1540]

Shit crazy

[@Spl870-w4k]

Helena - West Helena

[@deloreswillis9224]

Omgoodness… such a informative valuable story…… I had read briefly about the Elaine massacre …. However you go to great detail & explain tremendously all of the details in which I truly enjoyed SAD TO THE CORE 🥲 I was crying & cursing too… OmGOD it’s heartbreaking & pathetic to say the least!!!!