Hello friends, welcome to the ninth episode of our special series on Prohibition.

On September 22, 1906, race relations in Atlanta, Georgia reached a boiling point.

Local newspapers reported unsubstantiated stories about black violence against white women

and incensed by the details made up by the papers. White men gathered into a crowd,

which then grew into a mob. The mob was out for blood. For five long days, they persecuted

black Americans, assaulting them and raiding and destroying their businesses. It's estimated

that upward of 40 black Americans were murdered and hundreds more were arrested by the police

for carrying self-defense weapons. Witnessing it all was a 13-year-old child named Walter White.

He was terrified for his family because despite his blonde hair and blue eyes, Walter was black.

I'm Sharon McMahon and here's where it gets interesting. Before we begin, I have an editorial note

and a word of caution during this time in history and also in original documents. Racist language

was commonplace. We have chosen to replace a racist slur with the term negro, which is historically

accurate, although certainly not a preferred term today, but I think you all know what it refers to.

I also want to issue a content warning. Today's episode discusses racial and sexual violence and it may

not be appropriate for young children. Walter White and his family survived the Atlanta race

massacre and when he was a man in his 40s, he recounted those harrowing nights as he remembered it. He

said the church bells told for Sunday's service. But no one in Atlanta believed for a moment that

the hatred and lust for blood had been appeased. Like skulls on a cannibal's hut, the hats and caps

of victims of the mob of the night before had been hung on iron hooks on telegraph poles.

None could tell whether each hat represented a dead negro, but we knew that some of those who had

worn the hats would never again wear any. Late in the afternoon, friends of my fathers came to

warn of more trouble that night that plans had been perfected for a mob to form. After nightfall

...