On August 14, 1908, following multiple crime accusations, two black men were sitting in jail and tensions rose and mobs gathered in the downtown Springfield area. With the townspeople simmering with the possibility of conflict, the men were removed and the mob set into motion for violence towards the black neighborhoods. After many days of death, arson, destruction, and injuries, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) would be founded and the racial history of Springfield was to be forever changed. This self-guided tour will take you through the historic event that is known as the Springfield Race Riot of 1908. Follow the tour and view these landmarks in remembrance of the events that shaped Springfield's past and present.