Talk:Christiana Riot

Some sources

some references I've gathered but not necessarily used

• Forbes, David R. (1898). A True Story of the Christiana Riot. Sun Printing House.
• Kopaczewski, James (2015). "Christiana Riot Trial |". Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Retrieved 2016-11-12.
• Robbins, James J. (2008). "Report of the Trial of Castner Hanway for Treason, in the Resistance of the Execution of the Fugitive Slave Law of September, 1850". Underground Railroad Digital Classroom. Dickenson College. Retrieved 2016-11-12. DEAD
• Slaughter, Thomas P. (1991). Bloody dawn the Christiana Riot and racial violence in the antebellum North (Reprint. ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195046342. Whole relatively recent book on the subject
• Thorburn, Mark (2002). "Castner Hanway Treason Trial: 1851 - Dictionary definition of Castner Hanway Treason Trial: 1851". Encyclopedia.com. Thomson Learning. Retrieved 2016-11-12.
• Carson, Clayborne; Lapsansky-Werner, Emma J.; Nash, Gary B. (2011). The struggle for freedom a history of African Americans (2 ed.). Boston: Prentice Hall. p. 206. ISBN 978-0205832422.
• "Description of ''Treason at Christiana: September 11, 1851'' by L.D. "Bud" Rettew based on contemporaneous news clippings". Masthof.com. Retrieved 2011-10-09. self-published
• "William Parker, fl. 1851 The Freedman's Story: In Two Parts". docsouth.unc.edu.
• "The Black Self-Protection Society: Rebellion and Resistance on September 11, 1851". War Times. Retrieved 21 March 2017. lacks sources but does have pictures some of which might be acquired.</ref>

To be mined and commented upon. --Erp (talk) 21:37, 29 January 2019 (UTC)

Another interesting piece is Taylor, Dave (3 June 2018). ""Freedom's Battle at Christiana"". LincolnConspirators.com. Retrieved 18 August 2021. though it sources would have to be used not it directly. --Erp (talk) 01:44, 18 August 2021 (UTC)

Where this is currently discussed in Wikipedia

Current major discussion of this topic takes places in the following places in Wikipedia

• William Parker (abolitionist)
• Lancaster_County,_Pennsylvania#Slavery_and_the_Christiana_incident (redirect of Christiana Resistance points here)

I also have a question about the best title for this article. Christiana Riot and Christiana Tragedy were frequently used (neither have a current redirect). --Erp (talk) 00:23, 30 January 2019 (UTC)

Christiana Riot seems like it covers the issue. Are you okay with that title, or is there more than just the one riot to cover? We can always make aliases for the other synonyms for the event. AngusWOOF (bark • sniff) 00:38, 30 January 2019 (UTC)

I'm going ahead with pushing this to mainspace as Christiana Riot. Mainstream references:

• https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-christiana-riot
• https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/christiana-riot-trial/
• http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-109
• https://blackpast.org/aah/christiana-riot-1851
• https://www.lancasterhistory.org/highlights/christiana/christianafindaid.htm
• https://lancasteronline.com/civilwar/blood-flowed-first-at-christiana-riot/article_fc0958aa-cae8-5471-b77c-cbcbab316065.html

That there's a commemorative sign that says "The Christiana Riot" probably gives it a good shot at being the common name for this. AngusWOOF (bark • sniff) 00:43, 30 January 2019 (UTC)

I get the feeling each of the names carries baggage. Historically it has been either Christiana Riot or, less often, Christiana Tragedy; however, the term 'riot' implies senseless violence where this is more violence to preserve freedom. Let's leave it as Riot right now, but, there may be further discussion of the name if this article attracts more editors. The aftermath and the trial, which I haven't really dealt with yet, gets very interesting and heated. --Erp (talk) 04:17, 31 January 2019 (UTC)

The term "riot" was used by the White-owned media. The Black community uses the term "Resistance". Just as the Tulsa Massacre was originally reported as the Tulsa Race Riot. In both cases, Whites attacked Blacks, and then described the event as Blacks rioting.

IMHO, titling this Wiki page as "Riot" perpetuates that racism. "Resistance" would be historically more accurate, and less racist. I would like it to say Christiana Resistance, AKA Riot, rather than what it says now, Christiana Riot, AKA Resistance. We need to keep "riot" in there, because the term was used historically. But I hate to see it as the Wiki title.

Just my $0.02. I didn't do the work to create this page, so I'm reticent about changing its title. I make this suggestion in case the original authors are listening and interested. Coachjpg (talk) 19:04, 23 July 2022 (UTC)

Map

The library of Congress has a 1851 map of Lancaster county, PA which also includes Penningtonville RR station https://www.loc.gov/item/2012592191/ We could use part to illustrate the article. --Erp (talk) 03:02, 2 February 2019 (UTC)

I've added a map though since I couldn't pinpoint exactly where on the map the Parker house was, I just gave general directions. Also I note that there are two Sadsbury townships in the area. One in Lancaster county which includes Christiana and one in the adjacent Chester county which includes Penningtonville station. --Erp (talk) 07:48, 2 February 2019 (UTC)

Proposal to change article name to Christiana resistance

As stated with a redirect for Christiana Riot. "Riot" is the most common according to a google search (not that any of the choices are too common) but carries the implication that they were wrong to resist an immoral law (at least from the viewpoint of most of us who consider slavery immoral). Thoughts, other options? Erp (talk) 20:29, 23 July 2022 (UTC)

It was a resistance NOT a riot, please change article title

I feel that calling this event a "riot" is disingenuous. It was a true resistance, it was never a riot. Please change the title of this Wikipedia article to reflect that. 2601:19C:8101:1580:D5E5:759F:F584:C752 (talk) 15:21, 11 March 2023 (UTC)

Proposal to change title from "Christiana Riot" to "Christiana Resistance"

The article is currently titled "Christiana Riot", which is also used for the information box on the right hand side at the start of the of the page. However, the article itself clearly frames it as a resistance throughout. Below i have made two lists; the first is of the times resistance/resist/resisted etc are used when describing this event or it's background, the second of the times riot/rioter/rioted etc are used, excluding in the title('s) I'm proposing are changed. I have italicised the words in question.

"Resistance"

"The Christiana Resistance, also known as Christiana incident, or Christiana riot, was the successful armed resistance..."

"However, in the free states of the North, many residents and governments had resisted..."

"The leader of the resistance in 1851 was William Parker, an escaped slave about 29 years old"

"It is unknown whether the guide had deliberately led them to the center of resistance in Lancaster County."

"The Christiana Resistance had been the latest in a series of confrontations over fugitive slaves..."

"The death of the slave owner in the Christiana resistance led President Fillmore to call out the Marines."

"In 1998, a historical marker for the Christiana Resistance was placed in Lancaster."

"Riot"

"The Christiana Resistance, also known as Christiana incident, or Christiana riot, was the successful armed resistance..."

"...the issue aroused strong sentiments in the South, and Southerners called for the rioters to be hanged or else the South might secede"

"Memorial medals were cast. The first, representing "Law", had a portrait... on one side and engraved on the other, "In memory of Edward Gorsuch, Commemoration of the Christiana Riot and Treason Trials. 1851 – September 11 – 1911"

T"he other, representing "Liberty", had a portrait of Abraham Lincoln on one side and engraved on the other with "Peter Woods, Freeman, Soldier, Citizen. Sole survivor of the Christiana Riot and Treason Trials. 1851 – September 11 – 1911"

END OF LISTS

There are just 4 cases of "Riot", and 2 of them are quoting memorials written in 1911, so essentially 2. In comparison, "resistance" (or equivalent) is used 7 times. The current title is incongruous with the article itself. Also, a quick look over the recent writings/articles on the topic show that although neither one of the two seems to be universally preferred, synonyms of resistance such as rebellion and revolt are both also used to refer to or title the event; so "Christiana resistance" clearly has sufficient scholarly support for it to be the title. Never nevermore (talk) 01:11, 5 March 2026 (UTC)