From Postcards to the Present

 

The Unbroken Line of Lynching in America

Lynching in the United States is often spoken of as a relic of the past — a brutal chapter closed with the Civil Rights Movement. Yet the evidence tells a different story. From the grotesque postcards of the early 20th century to suspicious hangings in Mississippi today, lynching is not just history. It is a living legacy, woven into the cultural fabric of America and passed down across generations.

Lynching Postcards: Souvenirs of Terror

·        Between the 1880s and 1940s, lynching was not hidden but celebrated.

·        Photographs of victims were turned into postcards, sold and mailed across the country until the U.S. Postal Service banned them in 1908.

·        These postcards often showed white families posing with victims, smiling as if at a festival. Children were present, indoctrinated into a culture of hate and supremacy.

·        Examples include:

o   1903, Wrightsville, GA – Lee Hall lynching postcard.

o   1908, Russellville, KY – Four Black men lynched, children visible in the crowd.

o   1930, Marion, IN – The infamous Shipp and Smith lynching, photographed with thousands of spectators, including women and children.

Explore the Without Sanctuary digital exhibit of lynching postcards: Without Sanctuary

Indoctrination of White Children

·        Children’s presence was not incidental. Parents deliberately brought them to lynchings.

·        These events functioned as rituals of indoctrination, teaching that racial violence was acceptable and celebrated.

·        Postcards immortalized this indoctrination, embedding racism into everyday life and ensuring its transmission across generations.

Continuity into the Present

·        Mississippi, historically one of the states with the highest lynching rates, continues to see suspicious hangings of Black men.

·        Since 2000, at least nine Black men have been found hanging from trees in Mississippi, often ruled suicides by authorities but disputed by families.

·        September 2025:

o   Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a 21‑year‑old student at Delta State University, was found hanging from a tree.

o   Cory Zukatis was found hanging near a casino in Vicksburg the same day.

·        These cases echo the past: quick rulings of suicide, community distrust, and the haunting imagery of lynching.

Read Equal Justice Initiative’s report on lynching in America: EJI – Lynching in America
Coverage of recent suspicious hangings: Family of Black student found hanging from tree on Mississippi campus seeks independent autopsy

The Generational Thread

·        It is conceivable — and historically consistent — that descendants of families photographed at lynchings are connected to suspicious hangings today, whether through lineage, cultural memory, or institutional power.

·        The overlap between counties with the highest lynching rates (Bolivar, Leflore, Holmes) and recent suspicious hangings underscores this continuity.

·        Just as lynchings were rarely prosecuted in the past, today’s cases are often dismissed, perpetuating the same cycle of silence and impunity.

NAACP archives on anti-lynching campaigns: The NAACP's Anti-Lynching Campaign | American Experience | Official Site | PBS
NAACP History of Lynching in America: History of Lynching in America | NAACP

Conclusion

Lynching is not just a chapter in America’s past — it is a living legacy. The postcards remind us that racial violence was normalized, celebrated, and taught to children. The suspicious hangings of today remind us that the terror continues, often hidden behind official rulings of suicide.

To confront this reality, we must acknowledge the generational transmission of hate, the geographic persistence of racial terror, and the institutional silence that allows it to endure. Only then can we break the unbroken line from postcards to the present.

About the Author

Daryl Horton is a technical and creative writer who is passionate about being creative. He has comprehensive training in business information management, information systems management, and creative and technical writing. Daryl has the knowledge and skills to help organizations optimize their performance and maximize their potential. He spent several years in a Knowledge Management PhD program at Walden University, nearly completing it, but resigned from the program during his dissertation phase to pursue his passion for creativity (http://www.abolitic.com/). Despite his love for creativity, he often finds himself participating in groups where his technical experiences add value.

You can find more information about Daryl Horton on his LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/in/darylhorton/.

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