Posted on Aug 22, 2023
A candlelight vigil in Pierce City, Missouri, remembers 3 Black men killed during 1901 lynchings...
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For more than 30 years, a Monett Times reporter has held an annual vigil in the southwest Missouri town marking the night that a mob of white residents killed three Black men — Will Godley, Pete Hampton and French Godley — and forced the rest of the town's Black residents to flee for their lives.
Pierce City, a town of about 1,277 people just northwest of Monett, once had a sizeable African-American population. Murray Bishoff, a writer and longtime reporter for The Monett Times, said the Black residents traced their roots to Judah Godley who was brought to the area as a slave in 1848 along with her five children — the property of Mary Godley Jameson and her husband Achilles.
But that all changed on August 19, 1901.
Bishoff said a young woman, 24-year-old Gisela Wild, was assaulted and murdered the day before in a culvert under railroad tracks in Pierce City, and Black men who lived in the town were blamed.
Pierce City, a town of about 1,277 people just northwest of Monett, once had a sizeable African-American population. Murray Bishoff, a writer and longtime reporter for The Monett Times, said the Black residents traced their roots to Judah Godley who was brought to the area as a slave in 1848 along with her five children — the property of Mary Godley Jameson and her husband Achilles.
But that all changed on August 19, 1901.
Bishoff said a young woman, 24-year-old Gisela Wild, was assaulted and murdered the day before in a culvert under railroad tracks in Pierce City, and Black men who lived in the town were blamed.
A candlelight vigil in Pierce City, Missouri, remembers 3 Black men killed during 1901 lynchings...
Posted from kcur.org
Pierce City
Racism
American History
Journalism
Posted 10 mo ago
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"Strange Fruit," a protest song about lynching made famous by Billie Holiday, was written not by an African American activist, but by Abel Meeropol, a Jewish...
https://youtu.be/7b4Z4O1m63M
1.) Vauhxx Booker : black activist details 'attempted lynching' by group of white men in Indiana – video
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2020/jul/08/vauhxx-booker-black-activist-details-attempted-lynching-by-group-of-white-men-in-indiana-video
2.) FBI investigating reported Indiana alleged lynching attempt
Warning: Video contains disturbing content. Discretion is advised. The FBI and Justice Department said this week they are investigating an alleged “attempted lynching” incident in Indiana after a Black activist said he was attacked by a group of white people after accidentally walking through private property near Lake Monroe on July 4.
https://globalnews.ca/video/7163600/fbi-investigating-reported-indiana-alleged-lynching-attempt
3.) 2 Indiana men charged in assault on Black man, threat to ‘get a noose’
Sean Purdy and Jerry Cox II were charged criminal confinement and battery
Casey Smith, Associated Press
July 17, 2020
https://thegrio.com/2020/07/17/indiana-men-charged-black-man-noose/
*** Disclaimer : This a repost from myself, because people are tooooo comfortable with the status quo. ***
“I will not apologize for telling the FACTS, in a world that worship the lies”.
Soooooo ...
Then we’ve got ...
2020 Possible Lynching Victims :
1.) #DominiqueAlexander, 27, Found Hanging From a tree in Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan, New York
June 9, 2020
SOURCE : https://www.bet.com/article/2z4tkm/three-black-men-found-hanging-spark-calls-for-lynching-probe
2.) #RobertFuller, 24, Found Hanging From a Tree Near City Hall in Palmdale, California, on June 10, 2020
SOURCE : https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/21295670/robert-fuller-malcolm-harsch-hanging-history-lynching
3.) #Unidentified Man Found Hanging From a Tree in the Shady Acres Neighborhood of Houston, Texas, on June 15, 2020
SOURCE 1 : https://www.bet.com/article/19ocih/man-found-dead-and-hanging-from-a-tree-in-houston
SOURCE 2 : https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/four-black-men-hanging-deaths/
4.) #JulianHeywardIII, 67, Found hanged on his Haiku porch in Maui, Hawaii Heyward was found deceased at around 6:36 p.m. on Aug. 10, 2020.
SOURCE : https://mauialert.com/demonstrators-push-for-investigation-into-haiku-death-case-p1648-172.htm
5.) #NevanBaker, 22, Found Hanging From a Tree in Barker Park on Monte Carlo Trail near Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL Oct. 5, 2020
SOURCE : https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2020/10/12/family--crump-want-full-investigation-into-nevan-baker-s-death#:~:text=on%20October%205.-,The%20medical%20examiner%20ruled%20Baker's%20death%20a%20suicide%20by%20hanging,at%20321%2D235%2D5300.
1.) Vauhxx Booker : black activist details 'attempted lynching' by group of white men in Indiana – video
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2020/jul/08/vauhxx-booker-black-activist-details-attempted-lynching-by-group-of-white-men-in-indiana-video
2.) FBI investigating reported Indiana alleged lynching attempt
Warning: Video contains disturbing content. Discretion is advised. The FBI and Justice Department said this week they are investigating an alleged “attempted lynching” incident in Indiana after a Black activist said he was attacked by a group of white people after accidentally walking through private property near Lake Monroe on July 4.
https://globalnews.ca/video/7163600/fbi-investigating-reported-indiana-alleged-lynching-attempt
3.) 2 Indiana men charged in assault on Black man, threat to ‘get a noose’
Sean Purdy and Jerry Cox II were charged criminal confinement and battery
Casey Smith, Associated Press
July 17, 2020
https://thegrio.com/2020/07/17/indiana-men-charged-black-man-noose/
*** Disclaimer : This a repost from myself, because people are tooooo comfortable with the status quo. ***
“I will not apologize for telling the FACTS, in a world that worship the lies”.
Soooooo ...
Then we’ve got ...
2020 Possible Lynching Victims :
1.) #DominiqueAlexander, 27, Found Hanging From a tree in Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan, New York
June 9, 2020
SOURCE : https://www.bet.com/article/2z4tkm/three-black-men-found-hanging-spark-calls-for-lynching-probe
2.) #RobertFuller, 24, Found Hanging From a Tree Near City Hall in Palmdale, California, on June 10, 2020
SOURCE : https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/21295670/robert-fuller-malcolm-harsch-hanging-history-lynching
3.) #Unidentified Man Found Hanging From a Tree in the Shady Acres Neighborhood of Houston, Texas, on June 15, 2020
SOURCE 1 : https://www.bet.com/article/19ocih/man-found-dead-and-hanging-from-a-tree-in-houston
SOURCE 2 : https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/four-black-men-hanging-deaths/
4.) #JulianHeywardIII, 67, Found hanged on his Haiku porch in Maui, Hawaii Heyward was found deceased at around 6:36 p.m. on Aug. 10, 2020.
SOURCE : https://mauialert.com/demonstrators-push-for-investigation-into-haiku-death-case-p1648-172.htm
5.) #NevanBaker, 22, Found Hanging From a Tree in Barker Park on Monte Carlo Trail near Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL Oct. 5, 2020
SOURCE : https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2020/10/12/family--crump-want-full-investigation-into-nevan-baker-s-death#:~:text=on%20October%205.-,The%20medical%20examiner%20ruled%20Baker's%20death%20a%20suicide%20by%20hanging,at%20321%2D235%2D5300.
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CPL LaForest Gray
Billie Holiday Was Killed By The US Government For Her Song ‘Strange Fruit’ #shorts
#shorts #musicmarketing
https://youtube.com/shorts/i3PVVQOZahg?si=qxPcOGxwfwbULALl
October 12, 2021
HUMAN RIGHTS
Human Rights Hero: Billie Holiday
An Uncommon Heroine (April 7, 1915–July 17, 1959)
by Hon. Ernestine Steward Gray (Ret.)
Generally, when we think of a heroine, someone like Billie Holiday doesn’t usually come to mind. This article is written to show why that is a mistake and to highlight what we (old and young alike) can learn from Holiday, who was a strong woman who embodied the fight for racial justice.
Born Eleanora Fagan and later nicknamed Lady Day, Holiday’s commitment to fighting racial injustice arose from personal tragedies and multiple traumas she experienced in her life, which included her father’s death when he was denied medical treatment because of racial prejudice.
At age nine, she was brought before the juvenile court for truancy (skipping school), removed from her mother’s care, and sent to a Catholic reform school as the disposition in her case. At age 11, she dropped out of school and was the victim of attempted rape. In order to “protect her as a state witness,” she was sent again to the Catholic boarding school.
After her release, she worked in a brothel alongside her mother.
Before she even turned 14, she experienced child commercial sexual exploitation (commonly referred to as sex trafficking). Violence and abuse would follow her throughout her life.
At some point in her career, she became addicted to drugs. In 1939, at the age of 23, her struggle with addiction was compounded by racist policing of Black jazz artists, and she became the target of harassment by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. In 1947, she was arrested on drug charges and had to defend herself in court pro se because no public defender would represent her. Rather than receive the treatment she needed, she was incarcerated for a year.
“Strange Fruit” became Holiday’s battle cry. The Federal Bureau of Narcotics, allegedly believing that the song would incite riots, forbade Holiday from singing the song at her performances. However, Holiday would not comply and usually closed all of her engagements with the singing of “Strange Fruit.”
SOURCE : https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/empowering-youth-at-risk/human-rights-hero/
2.) Was Billie Holiday targeted by the federal government?
Head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics Harry Anslinger specifically targeted Black jazz musicians while handling white drug users gently.
He even intervened in one of Judy Garland’s fights with her studio, insisting she be sent to rehab.
Holiday received her first threat from the bureau shortly after she first sang “Strange Fruit,” a musical protest of lynching, to a nonsegregated audience.
In 1959 Holiday was arrested for drug possession for the final time from her hospital bed.
Denied methadone treatment and again left to detox without adequate health care, Holiday died under federal watch at age 44.
SOURCE : https://www.britannica.com/video/221334/United-States-versus-Billie-Holiday
October 12, 2021
HUMAN RIGHTS
Human Rights Hero: Billie Holiday
An Uncommon Heroine (April 7, 1915–July 17, 1959)
by Hon. Ernestine Steward Gray (Ret.)
Generally, when we think of a heroine, someone like Billie Holiday doesn’t usually come to mind. This article is written to show why that is a mistake and to highlight what we (old and young alike) can learn from Holiday, who was a strong woman who embodied the fight for racial justice.
Born Eleanora Fagan and later nicknamed Lady Day, Holiday’s commitment to fighting racial injustice arose from personal tragedies and multiple traumas she experienced in her life, which included her father’s death when he was denied medical treatment because of racial prejudice.
At age nine, she was brought before the juvenile court for truancy (skipping school), removed from her mother’s care, and sent to a Catholic reform school as the disposition in her case. At age 11, she dropped out of school and was the victim of attempted rape. In order to “protect her as a state witness,” she was sent again to the Catholic boarding school.
After her release, she worked in a brothel alongside her mother.
Before she even turned 14, she experienced child commercial sexual exploitation (commonly referred to as sex trafficking). Violence and abuse would follow her throughout her life.
At some point in her career, she became addicted to drugs. In 1939, at the age of 23, her struggle with addiction was compounded by racist policing of Black jazz artists, and she became the target of harassment by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. In 1947, she was arrested on drug charges and had to defend herself in court pro se because no public defender would represent her. Rather than receive the treatment she needed, she was incarcerated for a year.
“Strange Fruit” became Holiday’s battle cry. The Federal Bureau of Narcotics, allegedly believing that the song would incite riots, forbade Holiday from singing the song at her performances. However, Holiday would not comply and usually closed all of her engagements with the singing of “Strange Fruit.”
SOURCE : https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/empowering-youth-at-risk/human-rights-hero/
2.) Was Billie Holiday targeted by the federal government?
Head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics Harry Anslinger specifically targeted Black jazz musicians while handling white drug users gently.
He even intervened in one of Judy Garland’s fights with her studio, insisting she be sent to rehab.
Holiday received her first threat from the bureau shortly after she first sang “Strange Fruit,” a musical protest of lynching, to a nonsegregated audience.
In 1959 Holiday was arrested for drug possession for the final time from her hospital bed.
Denied methadone treatment and again left to detox without adequate health care, Holiday died under federal watch at age 44.
SOURCE : https://www.britannica.com/video/221334/United-States-versus-Billie-Holiday
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