Birmingham Church Panic Of 1902

On September 19, 1902 thousands of people came from all over to hear Booker T. Washington speak at Shiloh Baptist Church in Birmingham. Before night fell that fateful day, 115 people would die in what became known as the Birmingham Church Panic.

With the church filled to capacity, Booker T. Washington spoke of equality and respect for all races when a minor squabble lead to chaos. Within seconds of Washington's speech ending, two people were arguing over a chair on the podium and someone yelled out, 'Fight!' Some in the crowd misunderstood and thought they heard the word 'fire!'.

The following morning the New York Times reported 'dead bodies were strewn in every direction and the ambulance service of the city was utterly unable to move until after midnight...down the aisles and along the outside of the pews, the dead bodies of men and women were strewn and the crippled uttered heartrending cries..'

Washington was unharmed but historians claim the disaster haunted him for the rest of his life.