A lovely lady in VA named Bev went to the Library and found this article about the Danville Riot of 1883, I am forwarding this from the VASHENAN-L list (Shenandoah County): Here is the full newspaper article mentioned by Rick in a previous post - it comes from the November 8, 1883 edition of the Valley Virginian out of Staunton, Va. Bev The Danville Riot Its Origin and Result (special in the Virginian) Danville, Va Nov5 - 8:20 a.m. About noon Saturday a colored man meeting some white ladies on Main Street, stepped out of the way and in doing so accidentally trod on the foot of a white man. The negro promptly explained the cause of the accident, but the white man was not satisfied and struck the negro who knocked his assaillant out into the street. Three hours later the parties met again near the same place, and the white man, accomplanied by several friends, assaulted the negro and beat him severely, while two white men with drawn pistols kept the crowd, mostly colored people, from interfering. A colored man attempted to take the pistol from one of the white men and in the scuffle the white man fell in to the gutter. He arose and fired without effect. Immediately several other pistols were drawn by white men gathered at the scene and the colored people began to disperse rapidly. When three shots were heard a crowd of white men and youths assembled ra[idly from adjacent points on the street and opened an indisrimate (sic) fire upon the colored people who were running in every direction. One colored man was met a hundred yards from the fight and deliberately shot dead by a white man approaching the excited crowd. The shooting was soon over. The number of shots is estimated at from fifty to two hundred, and it does not appear that any negroes fired at their white assailants. The result of the shooting, so far as known, is six negroes killed and ten or more wounded. One white man at a distance was wounded by a stray shot, one white man engaged in firing was hit accidentally by his freinds in the rear. It is a wonder that more were not hurt as the crowd of idle people on the street was large as it usually is on Saturday evening. For nearly a half house after the firing began men and youths, armed with shot-guns, rifles and pistols, came rushing as if by concert from all parts of the City to Main street. The excitement was intense and their wrath furious. The first bell was rung, the military was called out. patrols detailed for the streets and the riot act read to the excited crowd. Col. Cabell and other Democrats addressed the excited people and urged peace. Gradually the excietemdnt subsided, the negroes having disappeared from the street. The churches were closed yesterday and crowds of white people were dispersed by the reading of the riot act. The city is patroled by soldiers and armed citizenr and is virtually under Martial law, and will probably remain so until after the election. The Mayour, Judge and Sheriff, in counsel with Col. Cabell and other leading democrate (sic), are making all necessary arrangements to preserve the peace and lives of our citizens. All good men of both colors deplore this unprovoked assault on a defenceless people. The Democrates attribute the riot to Col. Sims speech of Friday night , while Readjusters read in it the logical result of the utterances of such papers as the Times, and the resolutions and speeches of democrates clubs for weeks past.