Shelbyville in Shelby County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
Lynching in America / Lynching of Sam Pulliam
Community Remembrance Project
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 24, 2022
1. Lynching in America Marker
Inscription.
Lynching in America, also, Lynching of Sam Pulliam. Community Remembrance Project.
Lynching in America. Racial terror lynching between 1877 and 1950 claimed the lives of thousands of African Americans and created a legacy of injustice that can still be felt today. Following the Civil War, fierce resistance to equal rights for African Americans and an ideology of white supremacy led to fatal violence against Black women, men, and children. Lynching emerged as the most public and notorious form of racial terrorism, intended to intimidate Black people and re-enforce racial hierarchy and segregation. Of the hundreds of Black people lynched under accusation of alleged crimes, nearly everyone was brutally killed without being legally convicted of any offense. Many African Americans were lynched for perceived violations of social customs, engaging in interracial relationships. or being accused of crimes even when there was no evidence tying the accused to any offense. White mobs regularly displayed complete disregard for the legal system, seizing their victims from jails, prisons, courtrooms, or from police custody without fear of legal repercussions for the lynchings that followed. In this environment of official indifference, racial terror remained systematic, far reaching, and devastating to the Black community for generations. Although the names and stories of many victims may never be known, at least 169 racial terror lynchings have been documented in Kentucky alone, with at least 6 in Shelby County.,
Lynching of Sam Pulliam. On July 20, 1891, Sam Pulliam, a Black man, was lynched by a mob of at least 60 White people. The mob formed to pursue him after the wife of a prominent White farmer accused him of assault while her husband was away from home. Fearful that he would face violent reprisal from local White people without the chance to defend himself against the allegations, Mr. Pulliam attempted to flee to safety on the local Louisville Southern railroad. In this era, African Americans faced hostile suspicion and were burdened by a presumption of quilt, such that White people's allegations against Black people were rarely subject to scrutiny. Before he could leave, the Shelbyville Chief of Police intercepted and took him into custody. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Pulliam was kidnapped by a White mob and hanged from a tree. It was not uncommon for lynch mobs to seize their victims from the custody of law enforcement even though they were armed and charged with protecting the men and women in their custody. The local White press was sympathetic to the mob, evoking images of them as chivalrous in contrast to the derogatory and dehumanizing terms used to condemn Mr. Pulliam. The types of narratives sought to justify the violence and perpetuate the deadly stereotype of Black men as threats to White womanhood. Like nearly all lynching victims, Mr. Pulliam was lynched by a White mob that never faced prosecution for the lynching.
Lynching in America
Racial terror lynching between 1877 and 1950 claimed the lives of thousands of African Americans and created a legacy of injustice that can still be felt today. Following the Civil War, fierce resistance to equal rights for African Americans and an ideology of white supremacy led to fatal violence against Black women, men, and children. Lynching emerged as the most public and notorious form of racial terrorism, intended to intimidate Black people and re-enforce racial hierarchy and segregation. Of the hundreds of Black people lynched under accusation of alleged crimes, nearly everyone was brutally killed without being legally convicted of any offense. Many African Americans were lynched for perceived violations of social customs, engaging in interracial relationships. or being accused of crimes even when there was no evidence tying the accused to any offense. White mobs regularly displayed complete disregard for the legal system, seizing their victims from jails, prisons, courtrooms, or from police custody without fear of legal repercussions for the lynchings that followed. In this environment of official indifference, racial terror remained systematic, far reaching, and devastating to the Black community for generations. Although the names and stories of many victims may never be known, at
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least 169 racial terror lynchings have been documented in Kentucky alone, with at least 6 in Shelby County.
Lynching of Sam Pulliam
On July 20, 1891, Sam Pulliam, a Black man, was lynched by a mob of at least 60 White people. The mob formed to pursue him after the wife of a prominent White farmer accused him of assault while her husband was away from home. Fearful that he would face violent reprisal from local White people without the chance to defend himself against the allegations, Mr. Pulliam attempted to flee to safety on the local Louisville Southern railroad. In this era, African Americans faced hostile suspicion and were burdened by a presumption of quilt, such that White people's allegations against Black people were rarely subject to scrutiny. Before he could leave, the Shelbyville Chief of Police intercepted and took him into custody. Shortly afterwards, Mr. Pulliam was kidnapped by a White mob and hanged from a tree. It was not uncommon for lynch mobs to seize their victims from the custody of law enforcement even though they were armed and charged with protecting the men and women in their custody. The local White press was sympathetic to the mob, evoking images of them as chivalrous in contrast to the derogatory and dehumanizing terms used to condemn Mr. Pulliam. The types of narratives sought to justify the violence and perpetuate
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 24, 2022
2. Lynching of Sam Pulliam Marker
the deadly stereotype of Black men as threats to White womanhood. Like nearly all lynching victims, Mr. Pulliam was lynched by a White mob that never faced prosecution for the lynching.
Erected 2020 by Shelbyville Community Remembrance Project Coalition • Equal Justice Initiative.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Law Enforcement. In addition, it is included in the Lynching in America series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 20, 1891.
Location. 38° 12.7′ N, 85° 12.948′ W. Marker is in Shelbyville, Kentucky, in Shelby County. Marker is at the intersection of Washington Street (U.S. 60) and 5th Street, on the left when traveling west on Washington Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Shelbyville KY 40065, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 2, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 3, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 257 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 3, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Clear photo of Lynching of Sam Pulliam side of marker. • Can you help?
