Democracy Abroad, Lynching at Home: Racial Violence in Florida

289 Pages·2015·2.18 MB·English

by  Tameka Bradley Hobbs

Democracy abroaD, Lynching at home
University Press of Florida
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton
Florida Gulf Coast University, Ft. Myers
Florida International University, Miami
Florida State University, Tallahassee
New College of Florida, Sarasota
University of Central Florida, Orlando
University of Florida, Gainesville
University of North Florida, Jacksonville
University of South Florida, Tampa
University of West Florida, Pensacola
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Democracy
abroaD,
Lynching
at home
raciaL VioLence in FLoriDa
tameka braDLey hobbs
University Press of Florida
Gainesville · Tallahassee · Tampa · Boca Raton
Pensacola · Orlando · Miami · Jacksonville · Ft. Myers · Sarasota
A Florida Quincentennial Book
Copyright 2015 by Tameka Bradley Hobbs
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
This book may be available in an electronic edition.
20 19 18 17 16 15 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hobbs, Tameka B., author.
Democracy abroad, lynching at home : racial violence in Florida / Tameka
Bradley Hobbs.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8130-6104-7
1. Lynching—Florida. 2. Florida—Race relations—History. 3. African
Americans—Crimes against—Florida. I. Title.
HV6465.F6H63 2015
364.1'34—dc23
2015006606
The University Press of Florida is the scholarly publishing agency for the
State University System of Florida, comprising Florida A&M University,
Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida
International University, Florida State University, New College of Florida,
University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of North
Florida, University of South Florida, and University of West Florida.
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
http://www.upf.com
To my family
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contents
List of Figures / ix
Acknowledgments / xi
Introduction / 1
1. Lynched Twice: Arthur C. Williams, Gadsden County, 1941 / 33
2. A Degree of Restraint: The Trials of Cellos Harrison, 1940–1943 / 68
3. The Failure of Forbearance: The Lynching of Cellos Harrison, Jackson
County, 1943 / 88
4. “A Very Cheap Article”: The Lynching of Willie James Howard,
Suwannee County, 1944 / 121
5. Still at It: The Lynching of Jesse James Payne,
Madison County, 1945 / 156
Conclusion / 189
Epilogue. Strange Fruit, Bitter Seeds: The Echoes of Lynching
Violence / 213
Notes / 221
Bibliography / 251
Index / 265
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Figures
I.1. Claude Neal 30
1.1. Arthur C. Williams 63
2.1. W. Barkley Gause 77
2.2. William “Buddy” Gasque 80
2.3. Benjamin F. Barnes 85
5.1. Jesse James Payne 159
5.2. International Labor Defense (ILD) antilynching flyer (1945)
(front) 175
5.3. International Labor Defense (ILD) antilynching flyer (1945)
(back) 176
5.4. Cartoon, “Right forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on
the throne” 180
5.5. Cartoon, “Still at It” 185
C.1. Cartoon, “Hitler Is Here” 193
C.2. Governor Spessard Holland and Governor-elect
Millard Caldwell 197