Only 4 States Have No Record of Lynchings -- February 9, 2023

Brownsville Herald, 08-February-1923

I was interested to learn about the trends in lynching. I like how they specify groups included as white people.

ONLY 4 STATES

HAVE NO RECORD

OF LYNCHINGS

Three Out of Every Four Persons Lynched in U. S. in

Thirty-Five Years Have Been Negroes

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8. -- "Only four states in the Union have never had a lynching," according to a statement issued today by the Commission on the Church and Race Relations of the Federal Council of Churches. They are Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.

There are only three other states that have had no lynchings since 1889 -- New Jersey, Utah and Connecticut.

Nine other states have had a clear record during the last ten years. They are Nevada, Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Delaware and Pennsylvania. This means that only 33 per cent of the states of the Union have not had a lynching in the last ten years. At the same time it is pointed out that 83 women have been lynched since 1889. The churches are engaged in a nationwide campaign against lynching and facts are being gathered.

"The total number of persons lynched by years gives a startling picture of lawlessness," the statement continues. "There was a slow decrease from the climax in 1892 and 1893 down to 1908. During the latter year and 1909 there was an increase, then another slow decrease until 1918 when a tendency to increase was again manifested.

"The sex of the victims in the cases where a record has been made shows an alarming number of women. Since 1889 there have been 83 women, 17 white and 68 colored, killed by mobs. Some of them were put to death with savage tortures, such as burning and disemboweling. Such brutality might he expected in pagan times or heathen countries, but by no means in a civilized land today."

Every three out of four of those lynched during the period from 1885 to 1921 were black. In this connection the statement says:

"The list of victims of mob violence reveals that from 1885 to 1921 inclusive, 1,028 white persons and 3,069 colored persons were slain by lynchers. The number of white victims, however, has rapidly decreased since 1900. Among the victims classified as white were a German (during the war), Italians, Mexicans and Jews -- indicating that lawlessness spreads where prejudice abounds. Except in two years since 1903 the number of white victims has been less than ten each year. The number of negro victims during the same period has fluctuated slowly downward to range between 50 and 100 except in 1902 when the number reported was 104 and in 1917 when the number reported was 38. There is some evidence to indicate that during recent years negroes have been lynched and the facts concealed from the press, so that no record has been secured."

Protestant churches throughout the country will observe Sunday, February 11 as Race Relations Sunday, when they will begin a campaign of education against lynching.