1919 lynching in Moberly, Missouri

January 2026 January 2026 Lynching in Moberly, Missouri Red Summer 1919 lynching in Moberly, Missouri.png 300px Map and B&W newspaper clips 39 25 06 N 92 26 18 W region:US-MO inline,title White mob in Moberly, Missouri Moberly, Missouri Sunday, November 16, 1919 1 December 2024 On Sunday, November 16, 1919, four African-Americans were lynched in Moberly, Missouri. Three were able to escape but one was shot to death. Background The East St. Louis massacres were a series of outbreaks of labor and race-related violence by people that caused the deaths of an estimated 40–250 African Americans in late May and early July 1917. Another 6,000 blacks were left homeless, and the rioting and vandalism cost approximately $400,000 ($ in US) in property damage. These race riots were one of several incidents of civil unrest that started again in the so-called American Red Summer of 1919. In most cases, white mobs attacked African American neighborhoods. In some cases, black community groups resisted the attacks, especially in Chicago and Washington DC. Most deaths occurred in rural areas during events like the Elaine massacre in Arkansas, where an estimated 100 to 240 black people and 5 white people were killed. Also in 1919 were the Chicago Race Riot and Washington D.C. race riot which killed 38 and 39 people respectively. Both had many more non-fatal injuries and extensive property damage reaching into the millions of dollars.The New York Times 1919 In addition to this racial tension, the United States' media were alarmed by terrorist attacks from radical left extremist groups. On November 16, 1919 A. Mitchell Palmer released a report about the dangers of the far left and that “The negro race,” he warns, was “fertile ground” for the spread of radical propaganda.Evening Star, November 16, 1919 1 He launched a campaign against radicalism known as the Palmer Raids in November 1919. Federal agents supported by local police rounded up large groups of suspected radicals, often based on membership in a political group rather than any action taken. Lynching In November 1919 in Moberly, Missouri four African Americans beat and robbed white farmer Edward Thompson, The Dallas Express reported that Thompson had only light injuries.The Dallas Express, November 29, 1919 1 Four African Americans, identified The Dallas Express gave their names as Halley Richardson, 18 years old, 101 West Thirty-first street, Chicago; Sanford Taylor, 20 years of ago, 113 Baker street, East St. Louis; George Adams, 18. 2938 Federal street, Chicago; James Anderson, 3122 Federal street, Chicago.The Dallas Express, November 29, 1919 1 lower-alpha as Allie Richards, George Adams, Sanfard Taylor, and James Anderson, were arrested on Thursday, November 14, 1919, and held in the nearby Macon, Missouri.Evening Capital News, November 17, 1919 1 South Bend News-Times, November 18, 1919 6 It was reported in the press that the four were Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) members and it was claimed that they were from Chicago.South Bend News-Times, November 18, 1919 6 The Ogden Standard, November 17, 1919 1 A mob of seventy five to eighty masked men, allegedly neighboring farmers, threatened to bomb the Macon jail unless the four were handed over. Macon County Sheriff Jesse Stamper folded and instructed his deputy, Bob Epperson to give the mob the keys.Evening Capital News, November 17, 1919 1 The Dallas Express, November 29, 1919 1 The accused African-Americans were taken back to the outskirts of Moberly and in front of a crowd of about a hundred men, an attempt was made to hang all four on the same branch.Evening Capital News, November 17, 1919 1 Unable to handle the combined weight the branch broke.Evening Capital News, November 17, 1919 1 The failed hanging attempt allowed the accused to flee but armed men were able to shoot one down and the three remaining were able to escape in the chaos.Evening Capital News, November 17, 1919 1 County authorities quickly rearrested two and a third was arrested late Sunday, November 16, 1919.Evening Capital News, November 17, 1919 1 See also Elaine massacre (September 30–October 1, 1919) in rural Phillips County, Arkansas Frank Livingston was lynched in El Dorado, Arkansas on May 21, 1919, by white mob Bibliography Notes lower-alpha 20em References 2 The Dallas Express, November 29, 1919 November 29, 1919 Four Negroes Accused of Robbery Removed From Jail https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025779/1919-11-29/ed-1/seq-1/# The Dallas Express W.E. King Dallas, Dallas, Houston, Harris, Texas 2331-334X 9839625 1–14 November 29, 2019 Evening Capital News, November 17, 1919 November 17, 1919 Attempt Made To Lynch Four Blacks Sunday https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88056024/1919-11-17/ed-1/seq-1/# Evening Capital News Capital News Pub. Co. Boise, Ada, Idaho 2471-7754 18530685 1–10 November 17, 2019 Evening Star, November 16, 1919 November 16, 1919 Seeks Rigid Laws To Handle 60,000 Radicals In U.S. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1919-11-16/ed-1/seq-1/# Evening Star W.D. Wallach & Hope Washington, District of Columbia 2331-9968 2260929 1–94 November 17, 2019 For Action on Race Riot Peril The New York Times The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1919/10/05/archives/for-action-on-race-riot-peril-radical-propaganda-among-negroes.html The New York Times New York, NY 1553-8095 1645522 October 5, 1919 July 5, 2019 The Ogden Standard, November 17, 1919 November 17, 1919 Four Alleged I.W.W.'s Taken From Jail at Moberly, Mo https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85058396/1919-11-17/ed-1/seq-1/# The Ogden Standard W. Glasmann Ogden, Weber, Utah 2163-4793 12982876 1–12 November 17, 2019 South Bend News-Times, November 18, 1919 1919 Attempt To Kill Four Negroes https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87055779/1919-11-18/ed-1/seq-6/ South Bend News-Times News-Times Print. Co. South Bend, Saint Joseph, Indiana 2377-7095 15568606 1–16 November 17, 2019 Category:1919 deaths Category:1919 murders in the United States Category:Lynching deaths in Missouri Category:People murdered in Missouri Category:1919 riots in the United States Category:November 1919 in the United States Category:1919 in Missouri Category:Racially motivated violence against African Americans in Missouri Category:Riots and civil disorder in Missouri Category:Red Summer Category:Randolph County, Missouri Category:White American riots in the United States Category:African-American lynching victims Category:Mass lynchings Category:American lynching survivors