Commemorating the Killed

Born: 1898
Occupation: Laborer at Stockyards
Killed: July 28, 1919
Cause of death: Bullet-wound

Another victim of the Angelus apartment building riots, John Walter Humphrey, a Black man, was born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1898. After moving to Chicago, Humphrey worked as a laborer at the Union Stock Yards and lived at 3244 S. Federal Street with his brother, Edward. At the time of the riots, Humphrey was in the crowd of agitated Black Chicagoans that was fired upon by police officers while demonstrating outside of the apartment building. After the officers opened fire, Humphrey ran for cover. The Chicago Commission Report on Race Relations stated that a large number of crowd-members ran for protection at the 35th Street “L” station. It was here that Humphrey was struck by gunfire and was killed. He was 21 years old.