On This Day in 1970: Two Young Black Men Were Killed at Jackson State

by

The bullet-riddled windows of Alexander Hall, a women's dormitory at Jackson State College in Jackson, Miss., are shown after two African-American students were killed and 12 injured when police opened fire on the building claiming they were fired upon by snipers, May 15, 1970. The shooting occurred after rioting broke out on the campus. (AP Photo)
Reading Time: < 1 minute

(AURN News) — On May 15, 1970, a horrific tragedy unfolded at Jackson State College in Mississippi.

Just 10 days after the Kent State shootings, racial tensions and anti-war protests culminated in violence.

Mississippi highway patrolmen and city police converged on campus, eventually opening a relentless barrage of gunfire toward Alexander Hall.

Students peer out of the bullet-riddled windows of Alexander Hall, a women’s dormitory at Jackson State College in Jackson, Miss., after two African-American students were killed and 12 injured when police opened fire on the building, claiming they were fired upon by snipers, May 15, 1970. The shooting occurred after rioting broke out on the campus. (AP Photo)

They fired more than 400 rounds, claiming the lives of Phillip Lafayette Gibbs, a 21-year-old junior, and James Earl Green, a high school student. Neither was armed.

Students dove behind furniture and crawled through shattered glass to escape the hail of bullets.

The dormitory’s facade was left riddled with bullet holes. Twelve others were injured by gunfire during the shooting.

Legal proceedings took place over several years. A local grand jury later determined that the officers’ actions were justified, resulting in no criminal convictions.

Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Clay Cane. Follow @claycane & @aurnonline for more.

Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC. Twitter: @claycane

AURN Podcast Network

advanced divider
advanced divider

On This Day in History

On This Day in 1970: Two Young Black Men Were Killed at Jackson State
On This Day in History
On This Day: Remembering Bob Marley 45 Years After His Death
Music On This Day in History
On This Day: Willie Mays, Hall of Fame Icon, Was Born
On This Day in History Sports
On This Day in 1865: Adam Clayton Powell Sr. Was Born
On This Day in History
On This Day in 1950: Gwendolyn Brooks Won Pulitzer Prize
On This Day in History
On This Day in 1863: Sarah J. Garnet Became NYC’s First Black Principal
On This Day in History
On This Day in 1992: Los Angeles Riots Began After Rodney King Verdict
On This Day in History
On This Day in 1967: Muhammad Ali Stripped of Title for Refusing Draft
On This Day in History Sports
On This Day: Vincent Porter Became First Black Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
On This Day in History
On This Day in 1877: Reconstruction Ended as Federal Troops Withdrew
On This Day in History
On This Day: Charles Mingus, Jazz Icon and Activist, Was Born in 1922
Music On This Day in History
On This Day: Celebrating 75 Years of the Legendary Luther Vandross
Music On This Day in History
On This Day: Charlotte L. Brown Challenges Segregation in 1863
On This Day in History
On This Day: Lincoln Dies After Being Shot at Ford’s Theatre
On This Day in History
On This Day: Babyface, Hitmaker Behind Generations of R&B, Was Born
On This Day in History
On This Day: Paul Robeson, Icon of Art and Activism, Is Born
On This Day in History
On This Day: Billie Holiday Is Born, A Voice That Defined Jazz
On This Day in History
On This Day: Matthew Henson Reaches the North Pole — Recognition Comes Decades Later
On This Day in History
58 Years After His Assassination, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy Endures
On This Day in History
Clara Hale, ‘Mother Hale,’ Was Born on This Day
On This Day in History
On This Day: Scottsboro Boys Case Began — Racial Injustice Exposed
On This Day in History
On This Day: Spike Lee, Pioneering Filmmaker, Born
On This Day in History
On This Day: Jackie “Moms” Mabley, Trailblazing Comedian, Was Born
On This Day in History
On This Day: Vanessa Williams, First Black Miss America, Was Born
On This Day in History
On This Day: Breonna Taylor Killed in Louisville Police Raid
On This Day in History

More On This Day in History Stories >>