Fayetteville in Washington County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)
Lynching in America / Racial Terrorism in Washington County
In Memory of Aaron, Anthony, and Randall
— Community Remembrance Project —
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 20, 2023
1. Lynching in America side of marker
Inscription.
Lynching in America, also, Racial Terrorism in Washington County. In Memory of Aaron, Anthony, and Randall.
Lynching in America. Before the Civil War, millions of African people were kidnapped, enslaved, and shipped across the Atlantic to the Americas under horrific conditions that frequently resulted in starvation and death. Over two centuries, the enslavement of Black people in the United States created wealth, opportunity, and prosperity for millions of white people in all regions of the country while traumatizing and devastating enslaved Black people who were denied any legal rights or autonomy. By 1860, enslaved people were 25% of the state population in Arkansas. When chattel slavery ended in 1865, racial terror and lynching emerged as a lawless and tragic form of violence against Black people used to maintain racial hierarchy. Black people accused of violating social customs, seeking economic and political autonomy, or committing alleged crimes, even when there was no evidence tying the accused to the offense, were often victims of racial terror lynchings. More than 6,000 Black people were killed by racial terror lynchings in the United States between 1865 and 1950, and millions of Black Americans were victimized by this violence, many of whom fled to the urban North and West of the United States. Some 500 lynchings of Black people by white mobs have been documented in the state of Arkansas.,
Racial Terrorism in Washington County. On July 7, 1856, a white mob from present-day Elkins, AR kidnapped and lynched Anthony, a Black man and Aaron, a Black teenager. They were put on trial at the Washington County Courthouse in the death of a white man, James Boone, who enslaved them. Anthony was proven innocent. Aaron was released due to lack of evidence. Disregarding the rule of law, a mob led by Boone's sons reacted violently, lynching Anthony and Aaron near the jail, most likely on the estate of Archibald Yell, the deceased former governor of Arkansas. Randall, a third accused enslaved person whom an all-white jury found guilty, contested his verdict but was refused a retrial. Like lynchings, court-ordered executions – with mobs standing by - did not require reliable findings of guilt. Randall was hanged by the state on Aug. 1, 1856, likely on Gallows Hill, which is now within the Fayetteville National Cemetery next to Oaks Cemetery., During this era when enslaved Black people commonly faced violence by white enslavers, local oral history contends that, on May 29, 1856, James Boone attempted to sexually assault an enslaved Black woman who fatally assaulted him in self-defense. The Boone family then implicated Aaron, Anthony, and Randall in Boone's death. Slavery in Washington County, as elsewhere. devalued the lives of Black people resulting in violence, including sexual assaults and lynchings for which hundreds of white perpetrators were never held accountable.
Lynching in America
Before the Civil War, millions of African people were kidnapped, enslaved, and shipped across the Atlantic to the Americas under horrific conditions that frequently resulted in starvation and death. Over two centuries, the enslavement of Black people in the United States created wealth, opportunity, and prosperity for millions of white people in all regions of the country while traumatizing and devastating enslaved Black people who were denied any legal rights or autonomy. By 1860, enslaved people were 25% of the state population in Arkansas. When chattel slavery ended in 1865, racial terror and lynching emerged as a lawless and tragic form of violence against Black people used to maintain racial hierarchy. Black people accused of violating social customs, seeking economic and political autonomy, or committing alleged crimes, even when there was no evidence tying the accused to the offense, were often victims of racial terror lynchings. More than 6,000 Black people were killed by racial terror lynchings in the United States between 1865 and 1950, and millions of Black Americans were victimized by this violence, many of whom fled to the urban North and West of the United States. Some 500 lynchings of Black people by white mobs have been documented in the state of Arkansas.
Racial
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Terrorism in Washington County
On July 7, 1856, a white mob from present-day Elkins, AR kidnapped and lynched Anthony, a Black man and Aaron, a Black teenager. They were put on trial at the Washington County Courthouse in the death of a white man, James Boone, who enslaved them. Anthony was proven innocent. Aaron was released due to lack of evidence. Disregarding the rule of law, a mob led by Boone's sons reacted violently, lynching Anthony and Aaron near the jail, most likely on the estate of Archibald Yell, the deceased former governor of Arkansas. Randall, a third accused enslaved person whom an all-white jury found guilty, contested his verdict but was refused a retrial. Like lynchings, court-ordered executions – with mobs standing by - did not require reliable findings of guilt. Randall was hanged by the state on Aug. 1, 1856, likely on Gallows Hill, which is now within the Fayetteville National Cemetery next to Oaks Cemetery.
During this era when enslaved Black people commonly faced violence by white enslavers, local oral history contends that, on May 29, 1856, James Boone attempted to sexually assault an enslaved Black woman who fatally assaulted him in self-defense. The Boone family then implicated Aaron, Anthony, and Randall in Boone's death. Slavery in Washington County, as elsewhere. devalued the lives of Black people resulting in violence, including
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 20, 2023
2. Racial Terrorism in Washington County side of marker
sexual assaults and lynchings for which hundreds of white perpetrators were never held accountable.
Erected 2021 by Equal Justice Initiative • Washington County Community Remembrance Project.
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 May 29, 1856.
Location. 36° 3.098′ N, 94° 10.022′ W. Marker is in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in Washington County. Marker is on Dunn Avenue south of West 11th Street, on the right when traveling south. Marker is at the entrance to Oaks Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1121 Dunn Ave, Fayetteville AR 72701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 20, 2023
3. Racial Terrorism in Washington County / Lynching in America Marker
The Fayetteville National Cemetery — site of Gallows Hill, where Randall likely was hanged – is in the background.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 121 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on May 23, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
