New York anti-abolitionist riots

The 1834 New York City anti-abolitionist riot, known as the Farren or Tappan Riot, erupted on July 7 and lasted nearly a week. Rooted in nativist sentiments and tensions between Irish immigrants and abolitionists, it was sparked by escalating racial and anti-abolitionist rhetoric. Thousands attacked the homes, businesses, and churches of abolitionists and African Americans. Violence peaked on July 9, with multiple riots and widespread destruction, including the demolition of St. Philip's Episcopal Church. In May and June 1834, the silk merchants and ardent abolitionists Arthur Tappan and his brother Lewis stepped up their agitation for the abolition of slavery by underwriting the formation in New York of a female anti-slavery society. The triggering cause was a disturbance following a misunderstanding at the Chatham Street Chapel. On July 4, an integrated group that had convened at the chapel to celebrate New York's emancipation (in 1827) of its remaining slaves was dispersed by angry spectators. The celebration was rescheduled for July 7. During the 1834 anti-abolitionist riots in New York, the New York Sacred Music Society's chapel became a flashpoint when a black congregation was granted permission to hold a service on July 7. Unaware of this arrangement, society members demanded access to the chapel, leading to a violent confrontation. The clash resulted in damage and the arrest of six black attendees. This incident contributed to the broader unrest that ignited days of rioting throughout the city.

The riots were quelled by militia intervention.