East Point in Fulton County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Lynching in America / The Lynching of Warren Powell
Community Remembrance Project
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 11, 2023
1. Lynching in America Marker Side
Inscription.
Lynching in America, also, The Lynching of Warren Powell. Community Remembrance Project.
Lynching in America. Between 1865 and 1950, thousands of Black people were victims of lynching across the United States. Following the Civil War, many white Southerners fiercely resisted equal rights for African Americans and sought to uphold an ideology of white supremacy through intimidation and fatal violence. Lynching emerged as the most public and notorious form of racial terrorism, which often went beyond hanging and included death by gunshot, burning, or mutilation. White mobs regularly displayed complete disregard for the legal system, seizing their victims from police custody or lynching victims in broad daylight before crowds of spectators. State and federal officials largely tolerated the lawless killings of Black women, men, and children by not holding mob participants accountable for their crimes. Many Black people were lynched for resisting economic exploitation, “violating” perceived social customs, engaging in interracial relationships, or being accused of crimes, even when there was no evidence tying the accused to any offense. Even though lynchings occurred in communities with functioning legal systems, rarely were they followed by robust investigations or even an attempt to arrest the mob perpetrators. Many victims of racial terror lynching will never be known, but at least 595 racial terror lynchings have been documented in Georgia between 1865 and 1950. At least 36 of those victims were lynched in Fulton County.,
The Lynching of Warren Powell. On September 4, 1889, a white mob abducted a 14-year-old Black boy named Warren Powell in East Point, Georgia, and lynched him. Earlier that afternoon, a white girl reported being assaulted by a Black male. White men in the area soon began “hunting” for the alleged assailant. When they found Warren, they seized him and carried him to the local bailiff. The bailiff placed Warren in a jail that was secured by a single padlock. The mob lingered at the jail and gradually grew in size as others began to congregate. Around 10:00 pm, 15 to 20 masked white men forced their way to the jail door. The men used a hatchet to break down the door and seize Warren. Warren's tearful parents, who had bravely come to the jail, begged for their son's life, but to no effect. The mob dragged Warren screaming and pleading across several fields until they reached an oak tree. The mob hanged him there and then returned to the jail, unmasked. A search was later made for his body, which was found the next morning. After the lynching, white men spread rumors that Black East Point residents were planning to retaliate. Using the rumors as justification, white mobs dragged numerous Black men, women, and children out of their homes and attacked them. Though a reward of $100 was offered for the arrest of the mob perpetrators, no evidence indicates that anyone involved in the racial terrorism in East Point was held accountable.
Lynching in America
Between 1865 and 1950, thousands of Black people were victims of lynching across the United States. Following the Civil War, many white Southerners fiercely resisted equal rights for African Americans and sought to uphold an ideology of white supremacy through intimidation and fatal violence. Lynching emerged as the most public and notorious form of racial terrorism, which often went beyond hanging and included death by gunshot, burning, or mutilation. White mobs regularly displayed complete disregard for the legal system, seizing their victims from police custody or lynching victims in broad daylight before crowds of spectators. State and federal officials largely tolerated the lawless killings of Black women, men, and children by not holding mob participants accountable for their crimes. Many Black people were lynched for resisting economic exploitation, “violating” perceived social customs, engaging in interracial relationships, or being accused of crimes, even when there was no evidence tying the accused to any offense. Even though lynchings occurred in communities with functioning legal systems, rarely were they followed by robust investigations or even an attempt to arrest the mob perpetrators. Many victims of racial terror lynching will never be known, but at least 595 racial terror
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lynchings have been documented in Georgia between 1865 and 1950. At least 36 of those victims were lynched in Fulton County.
The Lynching of Warren Powell
On September 4, 1889, a white mob abducted a 14-year-old Black boy named Warren Powell in East Point, Georgia, and lynched him. Earlier that afternoon, a white girl reported being assaulted by a Black male. White men in the area soon began “hunting” for the alleged assailant. When they found Warren, they seized him and carried him to the local bailiff. The bailiff placed Warren in a jail that was secured by a single padlock. The mob lingered at the jail and gradually grew in size as others began to congregate. Around 10:00 pm, 15 to 20 masked white men forced their way to the jail door. The men used a hatchet to break down the door and seize Warren. Warren's tearful parents, who had bravely come to the jail, begged for their son's life, but to no effect. The mob dragged Warren screaming and pleading across several fields until they reached an oak tree. The mob hanged him there and then returned to the jail, unmasked. A search was later made for his body, which was found the next morning. After the lynching, white men spread rumors that Black East Point residents were planning to retaliate. Using the rumors as justification, white mobs dragged numerous Black men, women, and children out of their
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, June 11, 2023
2. The Lynching of Warren Powell Marker Side
homes and attacked them. Though a reward of $100 was offered for the arrest of the mob perpetrators, no evidence indicates that anyone involved in the racial terrorism in East Point was held accountable.
Erected 2022 by Fulton County Remembrance 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 September 4, 1889.
Location. 33° 40.671′ N, 84° 26.474′ W. Marker is in East Point, Georgia, in Fulton County. Marker is on Thompson Avenue west of Main Street (U.S. 29), on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Atlanta GA 30344, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 3, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 127 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on July 3, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
