Rosewood was a quiet, self-sufficient town in Florida. By 1900 the population in Rosewood had become predominantly African-American. Some people farmed or worked in local businesses, including a sawmill in nearby predominantly white town. A rumour spread by a white woman, Fanny Taylor, sparked a massacre in the predominantly black town. Taylor claimed she was sexually assaulted in her house by a Black man. A group of white men believed her claims that she was raped by Jesse Hunter, a recently escaped convict.
In response to her allegations, the white men began looking for suspected accomplices Jesse Hunter, Aaron Carrier & Sam Carter. Carter was lynched while Carrier was apprehended. The white mob then went to Aaron's cousin, who they believed was hiding the fugitive, Jesse Hunter. The white mob went to the cousin's home, shot the family dog, to make matters worse, when his mother approached the porch to address the mob, she was shot and killed.
Before he was slain, the cousin fought back and opened fire on the mob, killing two men and wounded four more.The remaining survivors fled to the swamps for refuge where many of the African American residents of the town had already retreated, hoping to avoid the rising conflict and increasing racial tension. The following day the white mob burnt down Carrier’s home before joining with a group of 200 white men from surrounding towns who had heard that a Black man had killed 2 white men. The mob proceeded to attack the town, killing animals and burning buildings
