State Historical Society of Iowa

"Taken From Court Room and Burned" - The Lynching of Jesse Washington, May 15, 1916 (Warning: Graphic Image)

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Taken From Court Room and Burned," Marshalltown Evening-Times Republican, pp. 1, 15 May 1916

Description

This article, found on the front page of the May 15, 1916, Marshalltown Evening-Times Republican, described the capture and lynching of Jesse Washington. Washington was an 18-year-old African-American man who was convicted for the murder of a white woman near Waco, Texas. He was subsequently murdered when the town's people decided to lynch him. A photo of the incident separate from the newspaper's article also is included. 

Transcript of "Taken From Court Room and Burned" Newspaper Article

Printable Excerpt of "Taken From Court Room and Burned" Newspaper Article

Source-Dependent Question

  • Use evidence from the article and photograph to explain how lynchings were perceived in many communities in the South.
  • Closely read the article, analyze the photograph and refer to Lynch Laws in Georgia. What details suggest that many state and local governments in the South neglected to protect the rights of their African-American citizens?
  • How fearful of law enforcement and legal consequences were those directly involved in or witnessing the burning of Jesse Washington? In your explanation, provide evidence from the article and photo that led you to this interpretation.

Citation Information 

Article: "Taken From Court Room and Burned," Marshalltown Evening-Times Republican, pp. 1, 15 May 1916. Courtesy of Library of Congress

Photograph: Gildersleeve, Fred A., "[Large crowd looking at the burned body of Jesse Washington, 18 year-old African American, lynched in Waco, Texas]," 15 May 1916. Courtesy of Library of Congress