War Information
10 sectionsWar History of Buffalo
French and Indian War (1754-1763)
The Buffalo region was contested between the indigenous Iroquois tribes and their French allies against British colonizers during the French and Indian War. The Seneca nation, part of the Iroquois Confederacy, defended their territory against European encroachment. After the war, the area fell under British control.
War of 1812 and the Burning of Buffalo
During the War of 1812, Buffalo was a critical border post. On December 30, 1813, British forces and their indigenous allies under General Phineas Riall burned Buffalo to the ground, destroying most of the town. This was a retaliatory raid for the American burning of Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake). Civilians fled their homes without warning and the city was left in ashes.
Erie Canal (1825) and Industrial Expansion
The completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 transformed Buffalo into a major industrial and port city. The canal facilitated the transport of grain, coal, and steel, drawing in countless immigrant laborers. However, this expansion was accompanied by intense labor exploitation, with Irish and German immigrants facing dangerous working conditions, and the displacement of indigenous communities.
Labor Movement and Steel Plant Strikes (Late 19th-Early 20th Century)
Buffalo became a center of the labor movement. The massive Lackawanna Steel Plant and Bethlehem Steel in Buffalo saw violent strikes including the Bethlehem Steel Strike of 1919 and the Lackawanna Steel Strike of 1937. Police and National Guard were deployed against striking workers, resulting in armed confrontations.
Race Riots of 1967
In June 1967, Buffalo was the scene of race riots that erupted in the predominantly Black neighborhood of Empire-Williams-Pratt. The riots were sparked by the violent arrest of a Black resident by white police officers. The National Guard was deployed to suppress the protests. One Black resident was shot dead by police, and widespread property damage was inflicted on Black neighborhoods.
Police Violence and Black Lives Matter Movement (2014-2024)
In recent years, Buffalo has seen massive protests against police violence. The murder of George Floyd in 2020 triggered widespread Black Lives Matter protests in Buffalo. The Buffalo Police Department has faced allegations of excessive force against Black people. The incident of a 75-year-old protester being shoved by police during the 2020 protests garnered national attention.
