African Americans in the Rising Sun News

Compiled for the African Americans in Boone County Project sponsored by Preservation Kentucky. All accounts from The Rising Sun Local, Microfilm, Ohio County Public Library, Rising Sun, Indiana.

Delinquent taxes – Compiler's Note I have chosen names that match up with Boone County names with an * by those last names that match with someone in the 1870 Ohio County Census – that may or may not mean they are the same person but it could be the case. This could be one reason why African Americans began to leave Rising Sun in the late 1800s to early 1900s – unable to pay taxes (perhaps because they were unable to get good jobs).

• Beatty, Hugh*
• Gibbs, Charles W.*
• Glore, Wm.
• Green, John
• Hughey, Hulda* Huey
• Johnson, Emma*
• Mitchell, Wm*
• Simpson, Jimmie and Stewart*
• Taylor, Wm*
• Williamson, mary
• West, Samuel (from Jan. 24, 1903 edition)

• Colored Refugees. Over 200 colored refugees from Evansville have reached here on trains, in vehicles and by walking. They report that they were warned to leave Evansville or be killed. Many received threats that their houses would be burned. Several in the delegation were wounded and had arms in slings.
• In another article, details of the 4 day riot in Evansville emerge. It was brought on by a black man shooting a policeman. He was taken to prison, where 2000 armed whites later congregated – he was hustled off to another location.
• From Linton, Ind, in same edition – whites chased 8 blacks out of town. They had come there to help prepare & serve a meal to the Elks Club, but had to leave in the middle of dinner under an armed guard. For the past seven years, no black has been able to live in Linton because they were once used as strikebreakers for local coal company. The blacks were from Terre Haute.

• More information regarding African-Americans in Boone County
• Boone County History