The Great Montgomery Brawl: A Historical Moment in Racial Tensions
The Montgomery brawl was a watershed moment in Black history
Credit to Premi Sterlin
TW: Mentions of lynchings
There have been many unhinged social media moments (i.e. Donald Trump calling for a “N*gger Navy”), but they pale in comparison to what happened on this day last year. On August 5, 2023, Damien Pickett, a Black co-captain of the Harriott II, was brutally attacked by several white boaters. There was an issue with their boat being parked where Harriott II was supposed to be. When confronted by Pickett, an altercation ensued between Pickett and one boater, after which the other boaters also involved themselves in the fight.
Onlookers saw the standoff, and many joined to help Pickett and break up the fight.
What happened next was a historical moment. From several different angles, social media users filmed an all-out brawl between Black and white Alabamians who were on the dock that day. Yet, as some pulled back the layers of the moment, they saw it for what it was – racial tensions boiling over.
The state of Alabama has a rich history of civil rights, from the Montgomery bus boycott to the late great John Lewis being beaten in Selma for daring to demand voting rights for Black people. Given this history, it was much more than a simple spat between multiple parties; for some, it was an attempted lynching.
Pickett was outnumbered by about 5-to-1 and on the ground when onlookers joined and helped him. Had they not intervened, the outcome might’ve looked very different. According to the Tuskegee University archives, between 1882 and 1968, Alabama lynched 299 Black individuals, which was the 5th highest lynching rate on the list.
This figure provides historical context for why Black people came to Pickett’s rescue. Although it turned violent, they acted in self-defense, which has long been a strategy in the struggle for civil rights. For JSTOR, Livia Gershon wrote, “When local police in Plaquemine, Louisiana, threatened to lynch James Farmer, CORE’s Black national director, armed ex-Marines helped get him to safety.” Louisiana is another state with a high lynching rate – theirs being the fourth highest on the list behind Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi.
Yet, history did not quite repeat itself at this moment. Although Pickett was charged with a misdemeanor (likely for fighting back), the other people involved in the altercation were charged too. One of the boaters even served jail time for the incident, according to the Montgomery Adviser. These things considered, the Montgomery brawl was a watershed moment in Black history. Not only did it signify the unification of Black people, but it also showcased the power of social media.
About This Rwebel
Javanna is a multifaceted professional with a rich background in writing, education, and media. She holds a Master of Science in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in English, which has fueled her passion for storytelling and communication. Javanna is the CEO and founder of Rwebel, where she produces books, articles, and multimedia videos about culture and difference.
