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    1937 Inagua Riot

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    Sheleta Collie
    The 1937 Inagua Riot began as tensions rose between locals and the Erickson family who opened the West Indian Chemical Company, reviving the salt industry and threatening local livelihoods. Prominent figures like Arthur Symonette and Nehemiah Alexander opposed the Ericksons' growing influence. Strikes were instigated among the "Rulers" group of stevedores against the Ericksons. Violence escalated into a deadly riot in August 1937 when a laborer was killed, the commissioner was shot, and buildings were set on fire. Order was restored after ringleaders like the Duvalier brothers fled to Haiti but were later captured and executed.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    1937 Inagua Riot

    Uploaded by

    Sheleta Collie
    158 views2 pages
    The 1937 Inagua Riot began as tensions rose between locals and the Erickson family who opened the West Indian Chemical Company, reviving the salt industry and threatening local livelihoods. Prominent figures like Arthur Symonette and Nehemiah Alexander opposed the Ericksons' growing influence. Strikes were instigated among the "Rulers" group of stevedores against the Ericksons. Violence escalated into a deadly riot in August 1937 when a laborer was killed, the commissioner was shot, and buildings were set on fire. Order was restored after ringleaders like the Duvalier brothers fled to Haiti but were later captured and executed.

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    This is just a short article about the 1937 Inagua Riot.

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    The 1937 Inagua Riot began as tensions rose between locals and the Erickson family who opened the West Indian Chemical Company, reviving the salt industry and threatening local livelihoods. Prominent figures like Arthur Symonette and Nehemiah Alexander opposed the Ericksons' growing influence. Strikes were instigated among the "Rulers" group of stevedores against the Ericksons. Violence escalated into a deadly riot in August 1937 when a laborer was killed, the commissioner was shot, and buildings were set on fire. Order was restored after ringleaders like the Duvalier brothers fled to Haiti but were later captured and executed.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    158 views2 pages

    1937 Inagua Riot

    Uploaded by

    Sheleta Collie
    The 1937 Inagua Riot began as tensions rose between locals and the Erickson family who opened the West Indian Chemical Company, reviving the salt industry and threatening local livelihoods. Prominent figures like Arthur Symonette and Nehemiah Alexander opposed the Ericksons' growing influence. Strikes were instigated among the "Rulers" group of stevedores against the Ericksons. Violence escalated into a deadly riot in August 1937 when a laborer was killed, the commissioner was shot, and buildings were set on fire. Order was restored after ringleaders like the Duvalier brothers fled to Haiti but were later captured and executed.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    1

    The 1937 Inagua Riot


    Date: 5
    th
    July, 2014 By: Sheleta Collie


    In August of 1937 there was a Riot in Inagua. Tension began when Josiah Erickson and his
    brothers (Douglas and Wentworth) opened the West Indian Chemical Company.

    The Erickson family clashed with locals when their livelihood was reportedly threatened by his
    attempts to revive the Salt Industry in Inagua. The Industry had collapsed following the
    increase production of salt in the United States and heavy tariffs by the Americans. During the
    decline of salt, young men worked as stevedore labourers on the steam ships which frequented
    Matthew Town until World War I. The challenges faced by the Salt and Steamship Industry
    plunged the islands economy into depression, but showed signs of recovery.

    Arthur L. Symonette, a coloured man, occupied a position of considerable
    influence because he owned the store and the contract for the steam ship
    company, both of which he used to exploit the people using the truck
    system. This was an
    oppressive pay
    arrangement where
    food and goods were
    used instead of
    wages (money) for
    compensation. In
    response, the
    stevedores
    organized into a
    group called the
    Rulers or Rock of
    Inagua against him
    and forced him to
    pay wages.

    The Ericksons
    revitalized the salt industry and employed locals, but they encountered
    hostility with prominent persons such as Mr. Symonette and Nehemiah C.
    Alexander (Baptist Minister and Justice of the Peace) who were accustomed
    to a high level of power and influence. The root of the problem seemingly
    was, The Ericksons provided new employment opportunity which
    diminished their influence. These persons responded by instigating a series of
    2

    Please feel to use this information for educational or informational purposes. Should you like me to add you to
    my mailing list please send an email to sheletacollie@hotmail.com and follow or send a friend request to me on
    facebook (Sheleta Collie).
    strikes among the so called Rulers, but rather than concede, the Ericksons imported labour
    from Acklins, Long Cay and Mayaguana, which only fueled the tension. The animosity escalated
    when Josiah Erickson took over the steamship contract from Mr. Symonette which later
    exploded in a brawl between locals and nearly the entire white staff of the company. The Chief
    participants were Charles Kaddy, a white American truck driver and George and Willis Duvalier,
    black stevedores. Members from both sides were fined for disturbing the peace, but Willis
    Duvalier threatened to kill Erickson.

    The situation turned deadly on 19th August, when a black labourer (John Munroe) thought to
    be a pimp was killed and the Commissioner shot. The group also set fire to the Commissioners
    house, the wireless station, the Erickson store and the Chemical Companys Salt House. The
    following day, the Erisksons and a group of employees, Dr. Fields and Corporal Edey fled Inagua
    but their boat encounter engine problems so they drifted for four days, until they arrived in
    Cuba. Upon arrival they were arrested for carrying arms meanwhile, the Duvaliers terrorized
    the town, other inhabitants also fled to Inagua until the unrest settled. The Duvaliers then
    sought exile in Haiti, but were caught and returned to Nassau and tried and executed for
    murder.


    If you wish to learn more about the 1937 Inagua Riot, I encourage you to visit the Department of Archives on Shirley. The primary
    source for this sheet is Great Inagua by Margery O. Erickson.

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