Lynching 1930

Lynching 1930 From 1890 to 1930, The Tuskegee Institute recorded a total of 3384 cases, 612 whites and 2772 blacks. However, it is obvious that blacks were subjected more to lynching from 1900 to 1930 where there were only 265 cases of whites compared to 1859 cases of blacks. Lawrence Beitlers ' iconic photo, Lynching 1930, showed the lynching of two young black men accused of raping a teenage white girl. This photo is a good representation of how different blacks were treated during the early 1900 's. The legal rights or lack there of for blacks were especially different. The image of the lynching represents the latest time of the Nadir period 1889-1941. According to the “National Humanities Center” (2010), the period from 1890-1920, is often called the “nadir” of Black history, yet Blacks kept hope alive and forged new political weapons during this time (para. 5). During this time racism in the US was worse than at any point in history before. Throughout this period, Blacks were treated less then the human beings they were. They lost many of the right and privileges that were fought for them during the Civil War. Since Blacks were minorities during this period, and white supremacy was at its height it was common to hear about segregation, anti-black violence, and legal racal discrimination. Early victims of lynchings who were accused or suspected of violating ubiquitous societal traditions or committing a crime were found guilty simply because of their skin color. Blacks were not entitled to a trial by jury or the assumption of innocence until proven guilty. Most of the lynching was death by hanging or shooting, or both. However, many were of a more gruesome nature some burning at the stake, maiming, dismemberment, castration, and other brutal methods of physical torture. According to author Robert A. Gibson “lynching therefore was a cruel combination of racism and sadism, which was utilized primary to sustain the caste in the South. Many white people

Cited: Beitlers, Lawrence. "Lynching 1930." Photograph. Digital Journalist. 100 Photographs that Changed the World by Life. Web. 30 Sep 2012.