Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Charles Craven Lynched, 31 July 1902

Photographed by Craig Swain, July 19, 2025

1. Charles Craven Lynched, 31 July 1902 Marker

Inscription. Charles Craven, a Black man about 25 years old, was lynched here on 31 July 1902. Accused of murdering a White man, Craven was being held at the Leesburg jail. Soon after his arrest, a mob of 300 to 500 men formed outside the jail. Fearing violence, the sheriff requested that the governor deploy militia troops to Leesburg. Before troops could arrive, the mob stormed the jail, overwhelmed the deputies, seized Craven, beat him, and took him a half-mile to this site, where he was hanged and then shot hundreds of times. Craven proclaimed his innocence until his death. Despite many eyewitnesses and several arrests, no one was ever brought to justice, as with most lynching in the Jim Crow South.

Erected 2024 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number T-64.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights • Law Enforcement. A significant historical date for this entry is July 31, 1902.

Location. 39° 6.627′ N, 77° 33.293′ W. Marker is in Leesburg, Virginia, in Loudoun County. It is on East Market Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1002 E Market St, Leesburg VA 20176, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Northern Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Douglass High School (within shouting distance

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of this marker); a different marker also named Douglass High School (within shouting distance of this marker); Douglass Community School (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Daniel, Hankerson, Knox Building (about 300 feet away); Tribute to the County-Wide League (about 500 feet away); Barack Hussein Obama (about 700 feet away); Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (about 700 feet away); Tuskegee Airmen (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Leesburg.

More about this marker. The marker was approved in 2024, and that year appears on the attribution on the marker. However, the marker was not placed and dedicated until July 2025.

Also see . . . Charles Craven in Loudoun - Racial Terror: Lynching in Virginia. Article from a research project (hosted by James Madison University) with more details about the incident. The site includes articles from many period newspapers. (Submitted on July 22, 2025, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

Photographed by Craig Swain, July 19, 2025

2. Charles Craven Lynched, 31 July 1902 Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 11, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2025, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 149 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 22, 2025, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.