The Phoenix Riot: A Story My Family Lived Through—That I Never Learned #history #blackhistory #SC
I travel the world looking for hidden Black stories—but this one?
This one was twenty minutes from where I grew up.
And I had no idea.
While visiting the International African American Museum in Charleston, I saw a brief mention of a violent election riot in Phoenix, South Carolina. What I didn’t expect was to find my own family in that history.
The Phoenix Riot of 1898 wasn’t just a local conflict. It was one of the deadliest acts of racial violence in U.S. election history—and it barely shows up in textbooks.
Twelve Black people were murdered. Dozens more were injured. And my great-great-grandfather, Essex Harrison, was shot in the aftermath. His name is now etched into a memorial in Alabama... and my own family didn’t know it until recently.
In this video, I share what I’ve learned about the riot, how it connects to voter suppression and violence we still see today, and why Black travelers—and all of us—need to study the ground we come from, not just the places we visit.
🕯️ Want to learn more about Black history that was hidden from you?
Start with the Phoenix Riot → [Insert trusted article, resource, or link]
📲 For deeper travel stories and cultural history, follow me:
IG + TikTok → @jamiewdowns
🗞️ And get my newsletter for the stories that live between the lines: https://blacktravelersbucketlist.myflodesk.com/p24fitbbgi
#PhoenixRiot #GreenwoodSC #jamiewdowns #BlackHistoryUnfiltered #HiddenBlackHistory #BlackTravelTok #CulturalTravel #HistoryTheyDidntTeachUs #BlackLegacyMakers #ErrickHarrison #ElectionViolence #AmericanHistoryUncovered #TravelWithPurpose #LearnWhereYouCameFrom
