November 8, 1949 marks the day a race and anti-semitic riot sparked in Englewood. The home that stood and still stands at 5643 S. Peoria Street in Englewood belonged to two Jewish war veterans: Bill Sennett and Aaron Bindman. Both Sennett and Bindman moved into the 2-story building with their families. On the Tuesday evening of November 8th, Bindman held a meeting in his home for union members, which included eight black people. Unfortunately, their new home was near a Catholic church that preached about how good Christians do not sell their homes to “undesirables”. This meeting created a rumor stating negroes had purchased the house, which was enough to create a group of people shouting insults against Jews and Negroes outside of the Sennett/Bindman house.
By Wednesday night, hundreds of people gathered outside of the house and the policemen assigned to protect the house did nothing to break up the crowd. Violence broke out and the crowd began damaging the home and people were beaten. Still, the police did not intervene. Reports made on the incident had a policemen justifying the beatings by saying the Jews were communists, which he had no actual evidence of; his assumptions were made based on the fact that they were Jews. The original home still stands at 5643 S. Peoria and now belongs to a new couple in Englewood. The couple claims that tourists and other people still visit their home, which is permanently labeled by its history due to the swastikas that remain on the building. This home is a perfect example of the historical ties Englewood has had. Regardless of what this riot portrays in terms of racial conflict, it still reflects how Englewood has changed as an entire community; it has shifted from being a predominantly white community to now being a predominantly black community, yet the constant struggle is still there.
By Wednesday night, hundreds of people gathered outside of the house and the policemen assigned to protect the house did nothing to break up the crowd. Violence broke out and the crowd began damaging the home and people were beaten. Still, the police did not intervene. Reports made on the incident had a policemen justifying the beatings by saying the Jews were communists, which he had no actual evidence of; his assumptions were made based on the fact that they were Jews. The original home still stands at 5643 S. Peoria and now belongs to a new couple in Englewood. The couple claims that tourists and other people still visit their home, which is permanently labeled by its history due to the swastikas that remain on the building. This home is a perfect example of the historical ties Englewood has had. Regardless of what this riot portrays in terms of racial conflict, it still reflects how Englewood has changed as an entire community; it has shifted from being a predominantly white community to now being a predominantly black community, yet the constant struggle is still there.