Posts tagged with "lynching"

The Leo Frank Case: A Microcosm of Early 20th Century America

The Leo Frank case remains one of the most fascinating chapters in American legal history. In 1913, Leo Frank, a Jewish factory superintendent in Atlanta, was accused and convicted of the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan, one of his employees. The subsequent events, marked by mob violence, and the execution of vigilante justice, continue to resonate today.

Need to Know: The Basics of the Case

On April 26, 1913, Mary Phagan went to the National Pencil Company to collect her wages and was later found murdered in the factory’s cellar. Leo Frank was the last person to admit seeing her alive.  Thanks to a mountain of evidence and consistent testimonies from witnesses, Frank was arrested and convicted. Public outrage and anti-Semitic sentiments added fuel to the trial, turning it into a joined pursuit of justice carried out by the KKK who did not believe Frank when he blamed Jim Conley, a Black janitor, for the crime. The witnesses who testified included the women who worked with Frank. They all accused him of being a sexual deviant. 

Key Takeaways

  • Anti-Semitism Played a Role: Frank’s Jewish identity allegedly influenced the public’s perception but it was his abusive sexual behavior as the factory superintendent influenced the trial’s outcome. This case starkly illustrates the dangers of using religion and cries of antisemitism to influence the justice system.
  • Mob Rule vs. Due Process: The intense public pressure and mob mentality surrounding the trial impacted the outcome of the trial. The mob refused to believe that Conley, a Black man, committed the crime because the evidence pointed directly at the accused, Leo Frank. 
  • Evidence and Testimony: The conviction relied heavily on the testimony of the more than twenty women factory workers, including Jim Conley.
  • Effective Legal System: Despite appeals to higher courts, Frank’s conviction stood. It took a governor’s commutation, and much later, a posthumous pardon, to turn a right, wrong, and compromising the legal system due to racism and anti-Black sentiments. 

Implications for American Culture and Society

The Leo Frank case had profound implications:

  • Rise of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL): The cries of anti-Semitism despite all evidence pointing to Leo Frank, spurred the formation of the ADL, an organization dedicated to defending Jewish Americans inspite of the crimes they commit. The ADL’s support of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians by Israel further confirms their allegiance to one group inspite of the wrongs they commit. 
  • Fear and Silence Among Jewish Southerners: Jewish communities in the South lived in fear for decades, monitoring their behavior to avoid criticism, and accountability for wrongdoings.
  • Exposure of Systemic Flaws: The case exposed a contradiction in the American justice system, particularly regarding the influence of public opinion, the KKK’s support of a Black man conveniently accused for a crime committed by a Jewish man, and vigilante proceedings when the justice system is flawed.

Lessons Learned

  • Importance of Due Process: Every individual, regardless of their background or the severity of the accusation, deserves a fair trial, free from mob influence and prejudice. 
  • Scrutinize Evidence and Testimony: Legal proceedings must prioritize facts and evidence over public sentiment and the convenience of blaming Black folks for crimes committed by whites who use religion to avoid accountability. Testimonies from other victims of Leo Frank carried weight and value that led to the just guilty verdict.  
  • Challenge Prejudice: It is crucial to challenge and combat prejudice in all forms, especially when it is used to wrongfully accuse Black people, a norm in early 20th century America and today, to infiltrate the justice system.

The Argument for Seeking Justice When Courts Fail

The Leo Frank case serves as a stark reminder that even the justice system can fail. When courts succumb to external pressures, such as those exerted by influential religious groups, and overturn a guilty verdict despite a preponderance of evidence, it is a blatant miscarriage of justice. The commutation of Leo Frank’s sentence by Governor Slaton, and the subsequent pardon, highlight the pervasive anti-Black sentiment that was prevalent during that era. Additionally, it underscores the misuse of claims of “antisemitism” to evade accountability and obstruct justice.

The Leo Frank case is a clarion call for constant vigilance and a resolute challenge against injustice, regardless of the source, including religious groups. It is a reminder to uphold the fundamental principles of fairness and equality that are the cornerstones of a just society.

Furthermore, the ongoing genocide of Palestinians adds another layer of complexity to the legacy of the Leo Frank case. Despite irrefutable evidence of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Israel, a nation established in 1948 in Palestine for displaced European Jews following World War II, accusations of antisemitism are used to deflect criticism and justify the slaughter of actual Semites in a region where they are not indigenous. This situation highlights the hypocrisy and double standards that often accompany discussions of injustice and human rights violations.

The Ocoee Election Day Massacre: A Stain on American History

In the shadow of the 1920 presidential election, a horrific act of racial violence unfolded in Ocoee, Florida. The Ocoee Election Day Massacre, a stark reminder of the brutal suppression of African American rights, demands our attention and reflection. This article delves into the details of this tragic event, its impact on American society, and its connection to the ongoing struggle for civil rights and reparations.

Need to Know:

  • The Incident: On November 2, 1920, in Ocoee, Florida, at least 50 African Americans were murdered in a racially motivated massacre. This violence erupted in response to attempts by Black citizens to exercise their right to vote.
  • Preceding Events: The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) had actively intimidated Black residents, warning them against voting. On Election Day, Black voters were systematically denied access to polling places.
  • Escalation: When some Black citizens, led by Mose Norman, persisted in their attempts to vote, the situation escalated dramatically, resulting in a violent attack by the KKK.
  • Julius “July” Perry: A respected leader within the Black community, July Perry, was among those killed. He was a deacon, labor leader, and advocate for Black education and civil rights.

Takeaways:

  • Voter Suppression: The Ocoee Massacre exemplifies the lengths to which some individuals and groups went to suppress the Black vote in the Jim Crow South.
  • Racial Violence: This event is a brutal reminder of the racial violence that was prevalent in the United States during this period and the lack of protection afforded to Black citizens.
  • Community Impact: The massacre devastated the Black community in Ocoee, leading to its eradication for over 60 years.

Implications for American Culture and Society:

  • Deep-Seated Racism: The Ocoee Massacre reveals the deep-seated racism and white supremacy that permeated American society in the early 20th century.
  • Historical Amnesia: For many years, the Ocoee Massacre was suppressed and not widely acknowledged, contributing to a larger pattern of historical amnesia regarding racial violence in America.
  • Reckoning with the Past: Coming to terms with events like the Ocoee Massacre is crucial for understanding the ongoing challenges of racial inequality in the United States.

Civil Rights Movement and Pursuit of Justice and Reparations:

  • Catalyst for Change: The Ocoee Massacre, and other similar events, fueled the Civil Rights Movement by highlighting the urgent need for legal protections and social change.
  • Ongoing Struggle: The struggle for voting rights and racial equality continues to this day, demonstrating that the legacy of events like Ocoee is still felt.
  • Call for Reparations: The demand for reparations for the descendants of victims of racial violence, including the Ocoee Massacre, is part of a broader effort to address historical injustices and their lasting impact.

The Ocoee Election Day Massacre is a somber chapter in American history. It serves as a powerful reminder of the struggles faced by African Americans in their pursuit of basic rights and the need for continued vigilance in the fight against racism and injustice.

The Lynching of Frazier Baker

Frazier Baker, the first African American to be elected as U.S. postmaster for Lake City, South Carolina, was a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement. He was born in 1908 in Lake City and attended segregated schools. After graduating from high school, he worked as a farmer and a teacher.

In 1946, Baker was elected as the president of the Lake City branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He also served as the president of the South Carolina NAACP from 1951 to 1955.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Baker was a leading figure in the fight for voting rights for African Americans. He was arrested several times for his activism, but he never gave up.

In 1966, Baker was elected as the U.S. postmaster for Lake City. He was the first African American to hold this position. Baker served as postmaster until his retirement in 1972.

Baker was a dedicated civil rights activist and a respected community leader. And although he left a lasting legacy of fighting for justice and equality in America, he was dealt the cruelty of racism and hate by a white mob.

On February 22, 1898, a white mob lynched Dr. Frazier Baker along with his infant daughter, Julia. The mob also injured Baker’s wife, Lavinia, and two of their remaining children. Lavinia and the five surviving children managed to flee.

Read a detailed report on Frazier Baker by Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), HERE.

It’s Time To End The Black Holocaust In America

BY JEANETTE LENOIR

The systematic killings of black people in America has turned into a Holocaust. Just count the bodies. All of them. From the start of the African Diaspora, through Emancipation, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights movement. Millions of black people have met brutal ends for no other reason than for being born black. Today, our killings are carried out by racist white supremacists and law enforcement backed by our government. There’s just no other way to describe the ongoing lynching’s and brutality inflicted upon African Americans. Just because we’re not being openly marched to gas chambers or kept in concentration camps doesn’t mean we’re not dying in mass numbers by the hands of police officers emboldened by a government who refuses to recognize our humanity and rightful place in the world, let alone America, which owes its black citizens so much of its glory and might.

Lynchings in America

And Donald Trump and his posse are steadily paving the way for more unjust killings and atrocities only black people seem to know intimately. The “oops, we did it again, wrong house” is played out and starting to look more like a covert strategy to exterminate black people. One by one. Steadily and strategically. I have no more tears  to cry, as I live with pain and grief for the family of the latest victim of police brutality: Breonna Taylor. We are at war with deputized individuals, trained to battle us as if we’re in Fallujah. Taylor was in bed. Never suspecting her brutal demise would be carried out by government officials who took oaths to protect and serve all Americans. Evidently, the three-fifths compromise, the solution to count three out of every five slaves as one person for legislative representation, is still in play when it comes to the number of black people who are killed by the police or vile racists. Today, it could be that killing 3 black people out of 5 that have been victimized amounts to 1 death. Our lives are not valued. This is evident everywhere you look. From small town America to big cities like New York and Las Angeles. While the NYPD is handing out masks to white sunbathers in Central Park during COVID-19, gently warning them to exercise social distancing rules, they’re beating the hell out of black people for the same offense. There truly is no justice. Not yet, at least.

Ahmaud Arbery

Comedian Dave Chappelle discussed the brutal killing of Emmett Till during his show recently. He made some important points about how the tragic event of Till’s death led to the world seeing the brutality inflicted on blacks by whites in America. He said it led to many changes and liberties we as Americans enjoy now, hence his celebrity and packed shows with diverse audiences. He’s right. Times and circumstances have changed. We no longer drink from different water fountains, ride in the back of buses, or hang from poplar trees for no reason other than being black. But Emmett Till had to die a horrible death for some of these changes to happen. Many, many others did too. And, the killings of black people haven’t stopped. Ahmaud Arbery is the latest example of a good ol’ fashion American lynching by some inbred, backwoods hillbillies who hate black people for being…you guessed it, black.

Breonna Taylor

And Breonna Taylor is yet another awful example of our over-militarized law enforcement who kill us like battlefield combatants. If our disproportionate killings are not an active Holocaust, I don’t know what is. According to some historians, the African Diaspora and the subsequent slave trade ended in the deaths of over 30 million black people. Now add all the other bodies onto that pile from Emancipation to today. That’s a lot of black people who have unjustly met tragic ends. The killing methods has changed but not the body count. I understand the point Chappelle was making. But how many more of us need to die to finally bring about lasting change? How many more black bodies does America need to satisfy its thirst for our blood? And racism still shows its ugly head in every sector of our society. Case in point, Senator Mitch McConnell can blatantly lie about the first black president not leaving his successor a pandemic guide and telling him to “shut up” when he’s asked to give his opinion on the Trump administrations’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic without any repercussion or rebuke from his “dear colleagues.”

Lynchings in America

Trayvon Martin

Taylor’s brutal death happened in his state; Kentucky. And McConnell has yet to humanize Taylor because he’s too busy trying to call Barack Obama an “uppity nigg*r” with a dog whistle we all know and understand very well. And yet, despite taking arms to fight countless wars for America, here and abroad, most white people remain idle. Watching. Seeing black people come home from wars to face racist brutality for a country many of them died for, they remain still. Accepting this shameful display of hate and calling themselves Christians. The German people watched and sat idle, too. Today, many just feign shock that in modern society racism still exists. Some take to social media to vent and share their outrage but quickly get back to Netflix and the life they enjoy despite the inequality we all know exists. That police still kill us disproportionately. That we’re still denied jobs, access to adequate healthcare, equal educational standards, curriculum and schools, or even healthy foods and an environment. We continue to bear the brunt of the cost of industrialization when rich corporations are given passage by our government to pollute the areas we live in, allowing companies to burying their toxic and cancer-causing waste in our backyards and pollute our water. Some whites certainly grieve, fight and even die with us for justice and change but clearly, not enough to make a real difference of our unequal American lives. So I have no more tears left to cry for my people, as I continue to bear witness to our systematic killings of which I can only call by its dirty name: a Holocaust.

Emmett Till

George Stinney, Jr.

Rodney King

Lynching in America

Isaac Woodard

Lynchings in America

Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, interviewed Marcus Rediker, author of, The Slave Ship: A Human History, where he discussed, “floating concentration camps and why the black community should never forget.” It’s worth a read. Included in the report was this discussion: “Before he won the Best Picture Academy Award for “12 Years a Slave,” director Steve McQueen accused Hollywood of ignoring the subject of slavery. “The Second World War lasted five years, and there are hundreds of films about that and the Holocaust. Slavery lasted 400 years and yet there are less than 20 films about slavery in North America,” McQueen said, in an interview with the British paper The Voice. “We have to open our eyes and look at it and other people have to acknowledge it.” The black community, he added, must remember slavery in the same way the Jews remember the Holocaust. “They believe in the saying ‘Never forget’ when it comes to the Holocaust, and I think we should be the same when it comes to slavery.”

Rediker was also asked if, “Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day could act as a model for remembering slavery in the United States. And he answered, “I think it would be absolutely impossible in this country, because the majority of the white population is utterly opposed to reparations and would not like to remember slavery in any way that might lead to economic and political conclusions. The difference is that the people who want to remember in Israel are in charge in the government. John Conyers has for many years proposed, at the beginning of each Congress, a bill to study the effects of slavery in American history. And every year, it’s voted down.”

Reuben Stacy lynching

Medgar Evers

American lynchings

KKK lynchings

1925 lynching

Comedians Key and Peele joked about Negrotown, once. I laughed and thought nothing else of the “utopia for black people.” Looking back, perhaps that’s the only solution left for us. Maybe we do need a Negrotown, where the duo joyfully sang, “you won’t get followed when you shop, you can wear your hoodie and not get shot, no white folks across the street in fear, no trigger happy cops or scared cashiers. And loan applications can’t get turned down, [because] you’re always approved in Negrotown.” Art imitates life. But the brutality and killings we experience are real. Perhaps to save our lives and finally stop the Holocaust of African Americans, is to find our way to Negrotown. McQueen’s suggestion to adopt the Jews saying, “Never forget” when it comes to slavery is ideal, but we must first break out of our bondage and finally stop the black Holocaust in America.