Lynching Memorials
American Lynching Memorials
As part of my dissertation research, I’ve created a Google Map of U.S. lynching memorials. It features outdoor sites that contain commemorative objects or serve as venues for memorial practices. I’m considering sculpture, historical markers (plaques, roadside signs, and maps), and performances (ceremonial readings of names or apologies, parades, and re-enactments) as memorial forms.
This is a work in progress so I’ll keeping adding sites, photos, and links as I work on this project.
I also have photographs of lynching memorials on my Flickr account, American Lynching Memorials. So far it focuses on the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial in Duluth, Minnesota and has a few images of lynching sites in Waco, Texas and the Ida Wells-Barnett, The Extra Mile, Points of Light Volunteer Pathway memorial in Washington, D.C. Again, as I continue doing field research, I’ll add photos of other sites to this platform as well.
If you know of other lynching memorials, please let me know.
La Tanya S. Autry
1.
Carol Maurer | April 17, 2013 at 5:32 pm
Have you had the opportunity to visit the imPerfect City exhibition at The Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts (DCCA)? They have a ‘roadside’ memorial project that may be of some interest to you.
2.
artstuffmatters | April 17, 2013 at 6:35 pm
Hi Carol,
Thanks so much for this reference. I didn’t know about the exhibition so I will have to check it out. I always like to learn more about memorials!
3.
Ann Atkins | July 26, 2013 at 12:39 pm
There is a road plaque in Coatesville PA – a lynching memorial for a lynching in the 1920s (I think)
4.
artstuffmatters | July 26, 2013 at 5:07 pm
Yes, it commemorates the 1911 lynching of Zachariah Walker. I’ll be discussing that one in my chapter on historical markers.
Thanks!