Spruce Pine Race Riot Part 1 - Introduction & Overview

Railroaded: The Spruce Pine Race Riot was the September 5, 2023 program by the Mitchell County, North Carolina Historical Society. The presentation marked the 100th anniversary of an event known locally as the Spruce Pine Race Riot. Taking place September 26, 1923, the riot centered around the deportation of African-Americans who were working on several public works projects and in area mines. This occurred after the alleged rape of a white elderly woman in the community by John Goss, an escaped African American prisoner.
The riot prompted the mobilization of 250 National Guardsmen to the town by NC Governor Cameron Morrison who kept the peace during and after the manhunt that resulted in Goss's capture. A discussion of his trial in Mitchell County Superior Court along with information on his execution in the electric chair for the crime is also included.
Part 1 of our presentation is an introduction to the presentation including an overview of the riot and a discussion of the goals for the material being presented.
Visit mitchellnchistory.org for more information on Mitchell County history and heritage.