The Colfax massacre occurred on Easter Sunday, April 13, 1873, in Colfax, Louisiana, when a white mob—including former Confederate soldiers and KKK members—murdered an estimated 62–153 black men, many of whom were surrendering. The violent attack followed a disputed Louisiana governor election and aimed to suppress Republican political power. Wikipedia +1

Key Facts About the Colfax Massacre:

• Location: Colfax, Louisiana (Grant Parish).
• Date: April 13, 1873 (Easter Sunday).
• Background: Tensions over a disputed November 1872 election for local and state offices led armed white Democrats to try to take back control of the Grant Parish courthouse from Republican officeholders (largely Black citizens).
• Casualties: While only three white men were killed, an estimated 62 to 153 Black men were murdered, with many killed after they had surrendered.
• Legal Impact: The massacre led to the case United States v. Cruikshank (1875), in which the Supreme Court ruled that the Enforcement Act of 1870 applied only to state actions, not to private individuals, significantly weakening federal protection of civil rights.
• Historical Significance: It is often described by historians as one of the deadliest instances of racial violence during Reconstruction.