1933 — May 1, Tornadoes, AR/8 deaths; LA/34, esp. Minden/28, and Arcadia/6, LA — 42
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-3-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–49 AP. “Storm Death Toll Is Placed at 49.” The Monroe News-Star, LA. 5-2-1933, p.1.
— 6 Magnolia, AR.
— 2 Salem, AR.
— 6 Arcadia, LA
–35 Minden, LA.
–42 Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 849-850.
— 2 Salem, AR area (north of). 23:30 F3.
— 6 Magnolia, AR area (southeast of). 15:00 F2.
–28 Webster Parish, LA. 16:00 F4.
— 6 Arcadia area, LA. 17:00 F4.
–40 AP. “Minden Storm Death List Given.” The Monroe News-Star, LA. 5-3-1933, p. 5.
— 7 Arkansas (Magnolia)
–33 Louisiana.
— 6 Arcadia
–27 Minden.
Arkansas ( 8)
–8 Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 849-850.
— 2 Salem, AR area (north of). 23:30 F3.
— 6 Magnolia, AR area (southeast of). 15:00 F2.
Louisiana (34)
–34 Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 850.
–28 Grazulis. Webster Parish, LA. 16:00 F4.
— 6 Arcadia area, LA. 17:00 F4.
–28 Minden. Minden Press-Herald, LA. “It’s been 85 years since tragic tornado.” 5-3-2018.
–28 Minden. National Weather Service. “This Day in Weather History: May 1st.” Aberdeen SD WFO.
–27 Minden. AP. “Minden Storm Death List Given.” The Monroe News-Star, LA. 5-3-1933, p.5.
Narrative Information
Grazulis, Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 850:
“LA May 1, 1933 16:00 28k [killed] 400inj 400y 6m F4 Webster [County].”
“LA May 1, 1933 17:00 6k 50inj 500y 5m F4 Bienville/Claiborne [counties].”
National Weather Service: “1933: An estimated F4 tornado struck Minden, Louisiana, killing 28 people and injuring 400 others. 500 homes were damaged or destroyed with $1.3 million in damage.” (National Weather Service. “This Day in Weather History: May 1st.” Aberdeen SD WFO.)
Newspapers
May 2, AP: “(By Associated Press). Tornadic disturbances in four Mississippi valley states claimed at least 63 lives during the last three days, leaving hundreds injured in their wake and property damage probably in excess of $2,000,000. The latest assault occurred late Monday near the Arkansas-Louisiana border, centering on the important Webster parish seat of Minden, La. A large section of that town was wrecked by the blow and first estimates of the dead there ran above 60, but only 35 bodies had actually been located in the debris Tuesday. Several hundred were critically hurt. Magnolia, Ark., and Arcadia, La., each reported six dead, and Salem, Ark., two. At least one death occurred at Camp, Ark., near the Missouri line….” (Associated Press. “Sixty-Three Lives Are Lost In Twisters. 4 Valley States Are Struck Hard By Disturbances.” The Monroe News-Star, LA. 5-2-1933, p. 1.)
May 2, AP: “Shreveport, La., May 2. – (AP) – Count of bodies drawn Tuesday from the wreckage and ruins of homes and other buildings of towns through a wide tornado-swept swath of Northwest Louisiana and southern Arkansas placed the toll of the devastating wind that tore through the region at 49 dead and 450 injured. The death toll by towns and communities lashed by the relentless fury of the storm was by a near-complete check as follows: [We break into separate lines.]
Minden, La., 35;
Arcadia, La., 6;
Magnolia, Ark.,, 6, and
Salem, Ark., 2.
“….”
(Associated Press. “Storm Death Toll Is Placed at 49.” The Monroe News-Star, LA. 5-2-1933, p1.)
May 3, AP: “Shreveport, La., May 3. – (AP) – The toll of the storm that swept sections of northwest Louisiana and South Arkansas Monday afternoon reached forty known dead Wednesday, twenty-seven of the fatalities being in Minden, Webster parish, including three negro victims who died in Shreveport where sixteen of the injured negroes were brought for medical attention. In the Arcadia area there were 6 dead, and at Magnolia, Ark., 7 dead.
“Minden’s death toll was reported at 10 a.m. Wednesday by the citizens relief committee at its meeting in Minden. The committee had carefully checked the fatalities and reported positively eleven white persons and sixteen negroes dead from the disaster in the town of Minden.
“Soon after the tornado struck Minden and neighboring territory when many wild rumors got into circulation, it was reported by a number of Minden citizen’s who made the report through official channels that the bodies of sixteen negroes who perished a short distance outside the town had been brought y truck into Minden. Investigation, however, showed that this report was incorrect, it was announced Wednesday from Mayor Connel Fort’s office. The relief committee’s report of the death toll at Minden showed the following dead: [We place the names into single lines.]
“White people –
Mrs. Gover McCollum, 44;
Elsie Rae McCollum, 10;
Lee Earl McCollum, 7;
Gwendolyn Haynes, 25;
Miss Bertha reeves, 7;
Sechem Reeves, 10;
Kathryn Tinnell, 7;
Julia Mae Tinnell, 10;
Dave W. Cook, 68;
- A. Owens, 40.
“Negroes –
Nora Williams, [Died later in Shreveport.]
Willie Anderson,
Joe Jefferson,
‘Aunt Jo’ Jefferson,
John Houston, [Died later in Shreveport.]
Francis Moody,
Mable Moody,
Josephine Allen, [Died later in Shreveport.]
Laura Moreland,
Robert Smith,
Robert Smith’s child,
Laura Moore,
Henry Jones,
Roy Manning,
Manning’s child,
Anderson Woody.”
(Associated Press. “Minden Storm Death List Given.” The Monroe News-Star, LA. 5-3-1933, p.5.)
Sources
Associated Press. “Minden Storm Death List Given.” The Monroe News-Star, LA. 5-3-1933, p. 5. Accessed 1-3-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/monroe-news-star-may-03-1933-p-10/
Associated Press. “Sixty-Three Lives Are Lost In Twisters. 4 Valley States Are Struck Hard By Disturbances.” The Monroe News-Star, LA. 5-2-1933, p. 1. Accessed 1-3-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/monroe-news-star-may-02-1933-p-1/
Associated Press. “Storm Death Toll Is Placed at 49.” The Monroe News-Star, LA. 5-2-1933, p. 1. Accessed 1-3-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/monroe-news-star-may-02-1933-p-1/
Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages.
Minden Press-Herald, LA. “It’s been 85 years since tragic tornado.” 5-3-2018. Accessed 1-3-2025 at: https://press-herald.com/its-been-85-years-since-tragic-tornado/
National Weather Service, Aberdeen SD Weather Forecast Office. “This Day in Weather History: May 1st.” Accessed 1-3-2024 at: https://www.weather.gov/abr/This_Day_in_Weather_History_May_01