Pittsburgh Riot
Encyclopedia
The Pittsburgh Riot was a 19th century race riot
in which an armed clash between Irish
and Italian-American laborers resulted in one man seriously injured and the death of another on September 19, 1886.
During the mid 1880s, relations between Irish and Italian-Americans had been steadily worsening as the Italians had for some time been encroaching the working class neighborhood of Four Mile Run
in the 15th Ward of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
The previous Saturday, Italian laborer Joseph Vernard was attacked by a gang of six Irish laborers headed by the Daly brothers and, although severely injured, managed to escape to his home.
Although no further activity was reported during the week, around twenty Irish laborers approached Vernand's boardinghouse on the afternoon of September 19 and demanded entry. When the other Italian residents responded by barring the doors, the Irish mob managed to force their way in by breaking the doors down.
As violent fighting broke out within the boardinghouse, Italian laborer "Paddy" Rocco had his skull crushed by a chair and an Irishman, Patrick Constantine, was fatally shot in the abdomen.
When the rioters had realized the injuries of the two men, all those involved had fled by the time Pittsburgh Police
had been called. Although both Rocco and Constantine were still alive by the arrival of the police, Constantine died in a hospital several hours later.
Five Italians were arrested in connection to the riots, although the unidentified Irish rioters were never apprehended.
Race riot
A race riot or racial riot is an outbreak of violent civil disorder in which race is a key factor. A phenomenon frequently confused with the concept of 'race riot' is sectarian violence, which involves public mass violence or conflict over non-racial factors.-United States:The term had entered the...
in which an armed clash between Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
and Italian-American laborers resulted in one man seriously injured and the death of another on September 19, 1886.
During the mid 1880s, relations between Irish and Italian-Americans had been steadily worsening as the Italians had for some time been encroaching the working class neighborhood of Four Mile Run
Greenfield (Pittsburgh)
Greenfield is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is represented on by Doug Shields.Greenfield is a member of Pittsburgh's 15th Ward, which includes the neighborhoods of Greenfield and Four Mile Run. Greenfield is adjacent to the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Hazelwood to...
in the 15th Ward of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
The previous Saturday, Italian laborer Joseph Vernard was attacked by a gang of six Irish laborers headed by the Daly brothers and, although severely injured, managed to escape to his home.
Although no further activity was reported during the week, around twenty Irish laborers approached Vernand's boardinghouse on the afternoon of September 19 and demanded entry. When the other Italian residents responded by barring the doors, the Irish mob managed to force their way in by breaking the doors down.
As violent fighting broke out within the boardinghouse, Italian laborer "Paddy" Rocco had his skull crushed by a chair and an Irishman, Patrick Constantine, was fatally shot in the abdomen.
When the rioters had realized the injuries of the two men, all those involved had fled by the time Pittsburgh Police
Pittsburgh Police
The Pittsburgh Police, or officially the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, is the largest law enforcement agency in Western Pennsylvania and the third largest in Pennsylvania...
had been called. Although both Rocco and Constantine were still alive by the arrival of the police, Constantine died in a hospital several hours later.
Five Italians were arrested in connection to the riots, although the unidentified Irish rioters were never apprehended.