The period was one of frequent labor violence across the country in industrial cities : employers used force to try to suppress organized labor and strikes , while workers struggled to gain fair wages and working conditions . Many industrial workers were immigrants from Europe . When industries became embroiled in labor strikes , the traditionally white unions often sought to strengthen their bargaining positions by hindering or excluding black workers . But industry owners hired blacks as replacements or strikebreakers , adding to deep existing societal divisions . Different races and ethnicities were forced to compete economically to survive . Ethnic white workers in industrial cities often resented black newcomers , primarily because of job and housing competition . White workers feared they would be undercut by black workers who were willing to accept lower wages . In East St. Louis , local politicians , company foremen , and labor union officials fanned the resentment ; the approval of the local police and National Guard were later considered important in helping to escalate the riot . The Springfield race riot of 1908 in nearby Springfield , Illinois was an expression of the simmering tensions in the region during the nadir of race relations
Springfield race riot of 1908
Springfield race riot of 1908
East St. Louis riots