A big reason for this was the end of the civil war. Most of the lynchings that took place happened in the south. More than 85% of the estimated 5000 lynchings in the postcivil war period occurred in the southern us states, but the problem was nationwide, peaking in 1892 when 161 africanamericans were lynched. The harrowing night of that lynching and its aftermath is what this book about. Isaac mcghie 19001920 elmer jackson 19011920 elias clayton 19011920 when the circus came to town, irene tusken, 19, and james sullivan, 18, both white, went that night. A short flash movie about photos of real lynchings, featured in the book of the same name. Laura wexlers fire in a canebrake 2003, steve oneys and the dead shall rise 2003, and mamie tillmobleys memoir, death of innocence 2003. For a compelling read i strongly recommend the lynchings in d uluth by michael fedo. But then, in 1999, the minnesota historical society changed its position. Lynching of will james in cairo, illinois, november 11, 1909. Lynchings across the country had striking similarities.
The greatgrandson of one of the duluth lynchers wrote a book several years ago called the lyncher in me. Up to a tenth of the citys residents clogged the street in front of the police station to witness the hanging. As new lynching memorial opens, a look back on americas history of racial terrorism we listen back to interviews with historian philip dray, author of. Many americans have found it convenient to think that episodes like this come only from the jim crowera deep south.
The john robinson circus made its way to duluth on june 14, 1920, for a parade and oneday performance. Michael fedo is the author of the lynchings in duluth. In the 1970s, michael fedo, a duluth native, prepared to write a novel set in postwwi america. Michael fedo, a former journalist, tells the story of the lynchings in d uluth in a clear, sober manner, weaving a skillful narrative. The book makes repeated references to lynching, and it bitterly attacks racism. On june 15, 1920, police arrest several young black men accused of raping a white woman. The law in minnesota had no death penalty on the books, and still has none today.
Finally, someone stepped forward to break the silence. Dec, 2012 in the 1920 duluth lynching june 15th 1920 thousands of white americans in duluth, minnesota took part in the murder of three black men. A chilling reconstruction of a 1920 racial tragedy. Duluth has a population of 85,884 and is minnesotas fourthlargest city. The boys were lynched for what is probably a madeup story about a this detailed look at a lynching in 1921 in duluth, minnesota is horrifying. Lynching photography in america james allen, james allen, john lewis, leon f. The site is a companion to allens book without sanctuary. The selfcongratulatory posed photograph of mob members with the bodies was made into a horrifying postcard, a frequent practice in lynch law america. The first verse of bob dylans 1965 song desolation row recalls the lynchings in duluth. Hundredyear commemoration of duluth lynching could see 10,000person rally pdd news sieve sep 22, 2019 no comments share its been nearly 100 years since elias clayton, elmer jackson and isaac mcghie were falsely accused, taken by force from the old duluth jail, and lynched by an estimated 10,000 community members at the intersection where. On the evening of june 15, 1920, in duluth, minnesota, three young black men, accused of the rape of a white woman, were pulled from their jail cells and lynched by a mob numbering in the thousands. Theyre selling postcards of the hanging theyre painting the passports brown. The book without sanctuary goes with a travelling exhibition of postcards from lynchings in usa between 1870 and 1940 or thereabouts.
Now the book is, for the first time, widely available under the title, the lynchings in duluth. The duluth lynching, in particular, has haunted those connected to it in various ways. But on june 15, 1920, three african americans, elias clayton, elmer jackson, and isaac mcghie, were lynched in duluth, minnesota. Lynching is widely believed to be something that happened only in the south. The lynchings in duluth by michael fedo overdrive rakuten.
And dylans desolation row is another kind of postcard of the hanging. Without sanctuary, a book of photographs of lynchings claytonjacksonmcghie memorial committee, for information about the memorial excerpts of the lynchings in duluth, by michael fedo. Dec 08, 2014 some are as kind and gentle and welcoming as any notion of home, some are mean and bitter and half crazy from life and isolation. Most lynchings were of africanamerican men in the south, but women were also lynched, and white lynchings of blacks occurred in midwestern. The two have been friends for a decade since read was researching for his book. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the.
Lynching postcards were used as a mean of communication for many people. Oct 31, 2017 by the 1920s lynchings of african americans had become a standard practice across the nation. Duluth lynching brings white man and black woman together 98. Using newspaper accounts, court records, state files, and interviews with aging and often reluctant witnesses, he recounts the small but telling stories of individual participants and ob. The 1920 duluth lynchings occurred when a mob attacked and lynched three black circus workers in duluth, minnesota.
Ironically, the pursuit of these images has brought to me a great sense of purpose and personal satisfaction. The lynching of thomas shipp and abram smith, a large gathering of lynchers. A photo of the three men who had been lynched was made into postcards at the time and shown throughout duluth. This file contains additional information such as exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. There were 25 major race riots during the socalled red summer of 1919, along with at least 52 lynchings and numerous close calls and aborted skirmishes.
As new lynching memorial opens, a look back on americas. He planned to include a lynching and remembered hearing, when he was about 10 years old, about a lynching that had occurred in duluth. They were used by families to talk to each other about the activities they had taken part of during that day. To this list may now be added the duluth lynchings online resource, a striking web site created by the minnesota historical society.
The story about the lynchings is told in the 1979 book the lynchings in duluth, by michael fedo. Once black were given their freedom, many people felt that the freed blacks were getting away with too much freedom and felt they needed to be controlled. It is not far from the location where the atrocities took place. Mississippi had the highest lynchings from 18821968 with 581. May 04, 2018 as new lynching memorial opens, a look back on americas history of racial terrorism we listen back to interviews with historian philip dray, author of at the hands of persons unknown, and james. Jan 27, 2015 a postcard showing the 1920 duluth, minnesota lynchings, showing three african american circus workers falsely accused of raping a white woman. These images are some of photographys most brutal, surviving to this day so that we may now look back on the terrorism unleashed on americas africanamerican community and perhaps know our history and ourselves better. Dylan was born in duluth, and grew up in hibbing, which is 60 miles northwest of duluth. Duluth store sells postcard of 1920 lynching twin cities. Opinion a lynching memorial unveiled in duluth the new. Bob dylans song desolation row recalls the lynching. That evening, three of them elias clayton, elmer jackson, and isaac mcghie are taken from jail by a mob and lynched. Jun 14, 2018 warren read touches a steel column engraved with the names of the three men killed in the 1920 lynching in duluth.
The john robinson circus made its way to duluth on. The victims of the 1920 duluth lynchings zenith city online. Postcard of the duluth lynchings the 1920 duluth lynchings occurred when a mob attacked and lynched three black circus workers in duluth, minnesota. A recent book, without sanctuary, is a collection of photos and postcards from nearly 100 lynchings.
By the 1920s lynchings of african americans had become a standard practice across the nation. Fedo presents in masterful prosebased on excellent researcha. Using newspaper accounts, court records, state files, and interviews with aging and often reluctant witnesses, he recounts the small. Combining hourbyhour, daybyday narrative with expert scholarship based on interviews, suppressed documents and news reports, fedo skillfully portrays northern prejudice. The lynchings in d uluth is a powerful reminder of the broader american pattern. This image might not be in the public domain outside of the united states. Oct 06, 2008 duluth tucked into a collection of duluth memorabilia for sale at a canal park antique store is a souvenir of one of the most shameful incidents in the citys history. Rumors had circulated among the mob that six african americans had raped a teenage girl. Reads book, the lyncher in me, was published in march 2008. May 28, 2014 for a compelling read i strongly recommend the lynchings in duluth by michael fedo. A postcard showing the 1920 duluth, minnesota lynchings, showing three african american circus workers falsely accused of raping a white woman.
The multiple lynchings in duluth, minnesota, however, represent the farthest north this practice reached. The book, originally published in 1979, tells the story of the lynchings of elias clayton, elmer jackson and isaac mcghie. Rumors of the rape spread through duluth like wildfire, and a mob of angry whites formed. Hundredyear commemoration of duluth lynching could see. Jun 15, 2001 a recent book, without sanctuary, is a collection of photos and postcards from nearly 100 lynchings. The lynchings in duluth, 2nd edition minnesota historical. Lynching photography in america contains reproductions of the photographic postcards that were made of the duluth lynching. Website featuring photographs and descriptions from the book without sanctuary by james allen, with postcards of lynchings in america. The book is an eyeopening account of one of the darkest moments in duluth history, wellresearched and wellwritten. Rumors had circulated that six african americans had raped and robbed a teenage girl. Beforehand there were rumours that black people had raped a teenager. Hippa wasnt a thing then and the victims doctor went around telling people there wasnt evidence of an assault. But the fact that lynchings took place in many parts of the country was underscored recently in the northern minnesota city of duluth when the city unveiled a moving memorial commemorating the.
After the duluth lynching in 1920, a graphic photograph of three black men killed by being hanged from a light pole was distributed as a postcard. In america everything is for sale, even a national shame. Lynchings in the united states rose in number after the american civil war in the late 19th century, following the emancipation of slaves. Duluth, minnesota, the site of a triple lynching, has. Duluth is the chief port city on lake superior, known for iron ore shipping. Minnesota historical society, duluth lynchings online resource african american curriculum exchange at the university of minnesotas givens foundation. A physician who examined the girl found no evidence of rape or assault. Till i came upon a postcard of a lynching, postcards seemed trivial to me, the way second hand, misshapen rubbermaid products might seem now. The book has essays from hilton als, leon litwack and congressman john lewis. Duluth soil heading to national lynchings memorial. Lewis set his story in a fictional northern minnesota city, an awful lot like duluth.
Dylan was born in duluth but grew up in hibbing, minnesota. The duluth authorities stand condemned in the eyes of the nation. He assumed a book had already been written about it. Twice, small presses published his book under the titles they was just niggers a declaration made by one of the perpetrators and trial by mob.
Jun 14, 2016 the duluth lynching, in particular, has haunted those connected to it in various ways. Lewis worked on his novel, kingsblood royal, in duluth, and he interviewed eddie nichols and other black people about their memories of the lynching. It is the secondlargest city on lake superior, after thunder bay, ontario. Lynching is the practice of murder by a group of people by extrajudicial action.
The book says this picture was sold as a postcard at local businesses after the event. Theyre selling postcards of the hanging theyre painting the passports brown the beauty parlor is filled with sailors the circus is in town. The duluth lynchings occurred in duluth, minnesota. James allen has assembled a collection of chilling photographs of lynchings throughout america, primarily from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The 1920 duluth lynchings occurred on june 15, 1920, when three african american circus workers were attacked and lynched by a mob in duluth, minnesota. Duluth lynching postcard these lynchings occurred on june 15, 1920, when three black circus workers were attacked and lynched by a mob in duluth, minnesota.
James fallows, the atlantic a chilling reconstruction of a 1920 racial tragedy. Cone with the noose and the lynching tree entering the national discussion in the wake of recent news events, bill moyers interviews theologian james cone about how these powerful images. The lynchings in duluth is a powerful reminder of the broader american pattern. Postcard souvenirs were often made to commemorate lynchings at least two were made of the duluth crimes. This book is a narrative timeline of the 1920 mob lynching of 3 black men who were among a handful of men suspected of raping a white west duluth woman. Milwaukee journal the story of the events leading up to the lynching and the various stages in the action of the mob are vividly related in this superb work. Fedo, a duluth native and former correspondent for the new. Most lynchings were of africanamerican men in the southern united states, but women and nonblacks were also lynched, not always in the south. Multiple people used these postcards as if they were the normal thing to send to a family member when they wanted to let them know something. This account of the lynchings that took place in duluth shows that the mentality necessary for such events was not particular to any region. Similar to other lynchings, a photographer was on the scene at the duluth lynching to take pictures and make postcards. Duluth to montgomery follow along as two mpr news journalists take a bus ride from duluth, minn.
Lynching in the united states wikipedia audio article. Someone made postcards out of the photo, and sold them as souvenirs. The duluth lynching memorial unveiled in 2003 was the first of its size and scope to honor people who died under such cruel. In the song, the lynching image mingles with other pictures that continue to haunt old and new listeners. Descendants of 1920 minnesota lynching bond during alabama. The whole thing goes with the theme opened up by rod dreher, bill moyers, and the james cone book shown on my goodreads site. Michael fedo, a former journalist, tells the story of the lynchings in duluth in a clear, sober manner, weaving a skillful narrative. These lynching photographs were often made into postcards and sold as souvenirs to the crowds in attendance. In a thursday, april 26, 2018 photo, warren read touches a steel column engraved with the names of the three men killed in the 1920 lynching in duluth, minn. The first verse of the 1965 song desolation row by bob dylan, who was born in duluth, recalls the lynchings in duluth. It stayed in the local news for months during the criminal trials that followed. Author of the lynchings in duluth broke silence on city. These lynchings occurred on june 15, 1920, when three black circus workers were attacked and lynched by a mob in duluth, minnesota.