History .....

The lynching of 15 year old Jesse Washington, 1916
After being accused of raping a white woman, Jesse Washington was castrated, beaten with bricks and shovels, and even had his ears cut off. An oak tree supported the iron chain that held him above a fire. Jesse tried to climb up the chain to escape the flames, but had his fingers cut off by the angry mob. There was a celebratory atmosphere at the event, and many children were in attendance.