Driven from Home
November 6, 1897
Summary
The Planet motivates black people “to defend their homes against ruthless invasion” after a mob in Florida burned down a building forcing black families to leave.
Transcription
Upon the flimsy plea that a colored man handed a white lady an “insulting and obscene” note, a mob of white men organized at Fort Pierce, Fla., burned the church-building and forced all the colored people to leave.
It is a sad commentary upon the existing conditions in the South.
No effort has been made by the authorities to punish the guilty parties or to protect the people who are denied the common rights of a citizen.
It is unfortunate that there was no effort made on the part of the colored people to defend their homes against this ruthless invasion.
Had they been armed they would have been unmolested.
In such cases, force must be met with force; blood-shed with blood-shed.
Lynch-law must go!
It is a sad commentary upon the existing conditions in the South.
No effort has been made by the authorities to punish the guilty parties or to protect the people who are denied the common rights of a citizen.
It is unfortunate that there was no effort made on the part of the colored people to defend their homes against this ruthless invasion.
Had they been armed they would have been unmolested.
In such cases, force must be met with force; blood-shed with blood-shed.
Lynch-law must go!
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Lower Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Brian Schrott
Citation
“Driven from Home,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed February 19, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1216.