On june 15, 2020, the day of remembrance, the entire community is invited to the intersection of the clayton jackson mcghie memorial and in the surrounding streets for keynote speaker and. The killings shocked the country, particularly for their occurrence in the. Lynching of john william clark in cartersville, georgia, september 1930, after killing police chief j. Dave woods book report bessler takes us on a compelling journey through the history of lynchings and statesanctioned executions that dramatically shaped minnesotas past. This is an important tale, one that bids us not to mask. Duluth soil heading to national lynchings memorial. Three black men lynched by a duluth mob for a rape that probably didnt even happen. The lynchings in duluth, as its now named, is credited with being the first allencompassing resource about the june 15, 1920, murders of circus workers elias. Reads book, the lyncher in me, was published in march 2008. Michael fedo is the author of the lynchings in duluth.
That evening, three of them elias clayton, elmer jackson, and isaac mcghie are taken from jail by a mob and lynched. Mar 29, 2020 fedo has published 10 books, including the lynchings in duluth, and in september he will add to the collection with a series of short humorous stories. Lynching is the practice of murder by a group of people by extrajudicial action. State and local governments in the south did little to curtail lynchings. In 2000, james allen published a collection of 145 lynching photos in book form as well as online, with written words and video to accompany the images. Elias clayton, elmer jackson and isaac mcghie stood an immediate drumhead trial, then were lynched in the heart of duluth as they vainly protested their. It stayed in the local news for months during the criminal trials that followed.
A chilling reconstruction of a 1920 racial tragedy. The john robinson circus made its way to duluth on. This was not an easy book to read so much injustice. But i learned about the incident in 1920 in duluth. Combining hourbyhour, daybyday narrative with expert scholarship based on interviews, suppressed documents and news reports, fedo skillfully portrays northern prejudice and violence.
On the evening of june 15, 1920, in duluth, minnesota, three young black. Up to a tenth of the citys residents clogged the street in front of the police station to witness the hanging. Even though its subject matter is close to home it happened right downtown the insights one can garner from its pages are universal in. Lewis worked on his novel, kingsblood royal, in duluth, and he interviewed eddie nichols and other black people about their memories of the lynching. A new book recalls a notorious lynching site in the. Rumors had circulated that six african americans had raped and robbed a teenage girl. Lynchings of blacks rose in number after the american civil war during reconstruction. The book, originally published in 1979, tells the story of the lynchings of elias clayton, elmer jackson and isaac mcghie. Descendants of 1920 minnesota lynching bond during alabama. On the second episode of the duluth lynchings, we take a look at the timeline of events that led up to the lynchings.
Michael fedo, minnesota stringer for the new york times and the christian science monitor from 1970 to 1985, is the author of many books, including the lynchings in duluth, the man from lake wobegon, the novel indians in the arborvitae, one shining season, and a sawdust heart. Lynchings in the united states rose in number after the american civil war in the late 19th century, following the emancipation of slaves. A physicians examination subsequently found no evidence of rape or assault. The lynchings in duluth this account of racial violence in the early twentieth century is a genuinely startling and illuminating contribution to our understanding of racial justice in the united states in the twentyfirst. The lynchings of elias clayton, elmer jackson and isaac mcghie in duluth. Search historical documents from the minnesota historical societys collections, including newspaper clippings, investigative reports, trial transcripts, prison records.
Jun 21, 2018 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. My lynching photo problem, and ours history news network. On june 15, 1920, three africanamerican circus workers, elias clayton, elmer jackson, and. Buy the lynchings in duluth borealis books by fedo, michael, green, william d.
Oct 14, 2008 in 1981, while living in duluth, i read michael fedos book about the 1920 murder of 3 black men reading that book was an eyeopening and important educational experience sadly, the title of the book has since been changed to the lynchings in duluth. As pointed as a klansmans cap, this book conveys the horror of mob action. The duluth school district did not ban the books from the schools. Oct 31, 2017 by the 1920s lynchings of african americans had become a standard practice across the nation. Editorial says fact that lynchings of black people took place in many parts of country was underscored in duluth, minn, as city unveiled moving memorial commemorating deaths of. It is a period of heightened racial conflict across the country. This updated, second edition of the lynchings in duluth includes a new preface by the author, additional research and notes, and suggestions for. The author does a good job of describing how the mob was formed and the racism that was present in all parts of duluth. On the evening of june 15, 1920, in duluth, minnesota, three young black men, accused of. Fedos book is a painstaking, sober account of the events surrounding the lynchings. Up to 20 books are listed, in descending order of popularity. 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. The book makes repeated references to lynching, and it bitterly attacks racism.
Dec 05, 2003 editorial says fact that lynchings of black people took place in many parts of country was underscored in duluth, minn, as city unveiled moving memorial commemorating deaths of three young black. Combining hourbyhour, daybyday narrative with expert scholarship based on interviews, suppressed documents and news reports, fedo skillfully portrays northern prejudice. On june 15, 1920, police arrest several young black men accused of raping a white woman. Minnesota historical society, duluth lynchings online resource african american curriculum exchange at the university of minnesotas givens foundation.
Two of the black victims are still hanging while the third is on the ground. Author of the lynchings in duluth broke silence on citys. For a compelling read i strongly recommend the lynchings in duluth by michael fedo. On this date in 1920, a white mob perhaps 10,000 strong swarmed into the duluth, minn. Jun 15, 2001 a recent book, without sanctuary, is a collection of photos and postcards from nearly 100 lynchings. Dylan was born in duluth but grew up in hibbing, minnesota. 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. Lynchings in the united states first became common in the south in the 1830s, 1840s, and 1850s, at which time most of the victims were white men. The lynchings in duluth, 2nd edition minnesota historical. Duluth, minnesota, the site of a triple lynching, has. Racial history surrounding the lynchings in duluth, mn scott.
A new book recalls a notorious lynching site in the american. Duluth, minnesota, the site of a triple lynching, has removed two. 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. May 11, 2020 michael fedo is the author of the lynchings in duluth. The lynchings of three men in duluth, mn in 1920 set a stage for this.
On multiple occasions, black residents were lynched on a bridge outside of town and. The duluth lynchings of june 1920, chronicled here by a man with a deep connection to that city, are an especially sad and outrageous example of raw racial violence and timid official response in a state at a geographical remove from the states of the confederacy and the jim crow south. What is so chilling, as fedo shows in his reconstruction of events, is that events happened so quickly. Duluth lynchings background and historical documents relating to the tragic events of june 15, 1920. Lewis set his story in a fictional northern minnesota city, an awful lot like duluth. The lynchings in duluth great river regional library. Jun 05, 2018 the wrong name was affixed to a jar of soil taken from one of three lynching victims from duluth in 1920 thats on display at a national museum and memorial in montgomery, ala.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Bob dylans song desolation row recalls the lynching. On the evening of june 15, 1920, in duluth, minnesota, three young black men, accused of the rape of a white woman, were. The john robinson circus made its way to duluth on june 14, 1920, for a parade and oneday performance. The lynchings in duluth about as far north as you can go in the united states are among more than 4,000 extrajudicial murders of african americans tallied by the equal justice initiative for its legacy museum and national memorial for peace and justice, which opened in montgomery. This is an excellent book that recounts in a clear and, for the most part, dispassionate manner, the events leading to the lynching of three blacks in duluth in 1920. By the 1920s lynchings of african americans had become a standard practice across the nation. Michael w fedo 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. And only 3 members of the mob served any time at all. Fedo has published 10 books, including the lynchings in duluth, and in september he will add to the collection with a series of short humorous stories.
In 1920, duluth is home to a small black community. 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. Up to a tenth of the citys residents clogged the street in front of the police station to witness the. Similar to other lynchings, a photographer was on the scene at the duluth lynching to take pictures and make postcards. The duluth lynchings online resource this website facilitates access to a variety of primary source materials relating to the 1920 lynching. Read the lynchings in duluth second edition by michael fedo available from rakuten kobo. Lynchings in duluth, the minnesota historical society. May 28, 2014 for a compelling read i strongly recommend the lynchings in duluth by michael fedo. Author of the lynchings in duluth broke silence on city.
It is not far from the location where the atrocities took place. My vaudeville life in medicine and tent shows, by henry wood as told to michael fedo minnesota, 2011. The original title is important because it explains, in just 4 short words. This updated, second edition of the lynchings in duluth includes a new preface by the author, additional research and notes, and. The multiple lynchings in duluth, minnesota, however, represent the farthest north this practice reached.
James fallows, the atlantic a chilling reconstruction of a 1920 racial tragedy. The one book northland author event will feature author michael fedo and a discussion related to his book, the lynchings in duluth, on april 20 at fitgers. Lynching photography in america contains reproductions of the photographic postcards that were made of the duluth lynching. The book is an eyeopening account of one of the darkest moments in duluth history, wellresearched and wellwritten. Triple lynching in duluth, minnesota june 15th, 20 headsman on this date in 1920, a white mob perhaps 10,000 strong swarmed into the duluth, minn. This updated, second edition of the lynchings in duluth includes a new preface by the author. Michael fedo publishes the lynchings in duluththe first booklength investigation of the murders. On the evening of june 15, 1920, in duluth, minnesota, three. The first verse of the 1965 song desolation row by bob dylan, who was born in duluth, recalls the lynchings in duluth.
A recent book, without sanctuary, is a collection of photos and postcards from nearly 100 lynchings. The duluth lynchings lasting legacy the marshall project. Nearly 40 years after fedos story of duluth s dark history was first published, its gone through three publishing houses, multiple title changes, a shift in some readers mentality and has included new information including the late addition of the names of some of the principal players. Fedo, a duluth native and former correspondent for the new. The story about the lynchings is told in the 1979 book the lynchings in duluth, by michael fedo. Virginia huston of missouri and warren read of washington stop to read a plaque describing the lynching of three men in duluth in 1920 inside the. The lynchings in duluth by michael fedo overdrive rakuten. Author of the lynchings in duluth broke silence on citys dark history. The lynchings in duluth is a powerful reminder of the broader american pattern. Search historical documents from the minnesota historical societys collections, including newspaper clippings, investigative reports, trial transcripts, prison records, and photographs. Bessler covers lynchings from the mass executions in 19th century mankato to the duluth lynchings of three black circus workers in the 1920s. Opinion a lynching memorial unveiled in duluth the new. The lynchings in duluth ebook by michael fedo 97816840142. A new book looks at a community in mississippi that is at the center of a dark piece of american history.
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