1927 – July 8, Boat with Mississippi River Flood Evacuees Overturns, Port Barre, LA–   11

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 2-24-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

 –11  AP. “11 Negro Refugees Drown at Port Barre.” Arizona Silver Belt, Miami, AZ. 7-8-1927, 5.

–11  Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Boat Overturns Drowning Eleven Negro Refugees.” 7-8-27, 5.

Narrative Information

July 8: “New Orleans, July 8. – (AP) – Eleven negro flood refugees were drowned at Port Barre today when the flat boat upon which they were being returned to their homes at Woodside and Melville overturned, the Associated Press learned over long distance telephone from Red Cross representatives at Port Bare. The boat operator aided materially in the rescue work and was entirely exonerated by the coroner’s jury investigating the accident. Seven of the bodies had been recovered this afternoon. Twelve negroes on the boat were rescued.

“The boat sank when an aged negress became excited and ran screaming to the edge of the boat as it was towed away from the wharf at Port Barre. Other negroes followed her in an attempt to quiet her and their weight caused the boat to topple over.” (Daily Herald, Biloxi, MS. “Boat Overturns Drowning Eleven Negro Refugees.” 7-8-27, p. 5.)

Sources:

Associated Press. “11 Negro Refugees Drown at Port Barre.” Arizona Silver Belt, Miami, AZ. 7-8-1927, p. 5. Accessed 2-24-2025 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/miami-arizona-silver-belt-jul-08-1927-p-5/

Daily Herald, Biloxi & Gulfport, MS. “Boat Overturns Drowning Eleven Negro Refugees.” 7-8-1927, p. 5. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=184361572&sterm=flood