James Clark (lynching victim)

Lynching of James Clark, July 11, 1926, Florida[1]

James Clark was an African-American man who was lynched in Eau Gallie, Florida by ten white men in 1926.

History

On July 11, 1926, James Clark, a chauffeur for a traveling salesman, was accused of rape by a white girl. He was arrested, but the chief of police turned him over to a mob. A noose was placed around his neck, he was dragged over a tree limb, and shot with a shotgun. The street near the site of the lynching, around Parkway Drive and U.S. 1 in what is now Melbourne, Florida was named Lynching Tree Drive until 1980, when the black community petitioned the Melbourne City Council to change the name, which was then changed to Legendary Lane.[2]

No attempt was made to determine who murdered Clark without the benefit of a trial. This is the last known lynching in Brevard County.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Incorrectly identified as 1916 lynching Jesse Washington Texas; correctly identified in without Sanctuary Picture # 52
  2. ↑ Scruggs, David C (January 15, 1989). "Scales Of Justice Hung From Tree With 1 Strong Limb". Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Florida Frontiers "The Lynching of James Clark"". Retrieved December 18, 2018.
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