Robert Charles was born in 1865 in Pine Bluff, Mississippi. A self-educated African-American laborer, Charles was known for his articulate nature and activism. He believed in the right to self-defense for the Black community and advocated for African-Americans to consider emigration to Liberia as a means to escape systemic racial discrimination in the United States.

On the night of July 23, 1900, Robert Charles and his roommate, Leonard Pierce, were sitting on a porch in a predominantly white neighborhood in New Orleans. Three white police officers approached them, questioning their presence. An altercation ensued when Officer Mora attempted to arrest Charles, leading to an exchange of gunfire. Both Charles and Mora were wounded, and Charles fled the scene.

Later that night, police traced Charles to his residence. As officers attempted to apprehend him, Charles opened fire, killing two officers. He escaped once again, prompting a city-wide manhunt.

Over the next few days, white mobs, incited by sensationalist media coverage, terrorized Black communities in New Orleans, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.

On July 27, authorities located Charles hiding in a residence on Saratoga Street. A violent standoff ensued, during which Charles killed additional officers. The police set the building ablaze to force him out. As Charles attempted to escape the burning structure, he was shot and killed by a medical student assisting the police. His body was subsequently mutilated by the mob.

In total, Charles killed seven white individuals, including four police officers, and wounded over 20 others. The riots resulted in the deaths of numerous Black residents, with estimates ranging from 20 to over 60 fatalities.