Re-enactment of 1946 Georgia lynchings set for Monday By ERRIN HAINES Associated Press Writer
¶ ATLANTA (AP) _ As a 20-year-old civil rights activist on his first visit to Walton County, in 1968, Tyrone Brooks met Dan Young, who ran the county's only black funeral home. ¶ Young wanted Brooks, who had made the 40-mile drive from Atlanta, "to know where he was." ¶ "Young man, I want to show you something," Brooks remembers Young telling him. ¶ The two went into the basement of Young's funeral home, where he opened an old file cabinet and pulled out a manila folder. Inside were photographs of dead bodies _ the victims, Young told Brooks, of the last open public mass lynchings in the U.S. ¶ "That really got my attention," said Brooks, who is now a representative in the Georgia House. ¶ Decades after first seeing those disturbing photos, they still have Brooks' attention. On Monday, the 59th anniversary of the lynchings, Brooks and other civil rights activists will re-enact that fateful day in hopes of gaining support for the arrest and prosecution of anyone still alive who may have been involved or responsible. ¶ The photos were of Roger and Dorothy Malcom and George and Mae Murray Dorsey, four young black sharecroppers who were gunned down on July 25, 1946, along the Apalachee River. ¶ The re-enactment will start on what is believed to be Barney Hester's property, where Roger Malcom had been arrested days before his lynching. A fight between the two sent Hester to the hospital and landed Malcom in jail. ¶ The FBI's 500-page synopsis of its investigation into the killings say the Malcoms and Dorseys were riding with a white farmer when between 20 and 25 white men stopped the car on the Moore's Ford bridge. The mob forced the couples out of the car, dragged them down a wagon trail about 50 yards from the bridge and shot them with pistols and shotguns. The farmer, Loy Harrison, was spared. No one has ever been charged in the lynchings. ¶ The FBI named 55 suspects in its report, but few are thought to remain alive. Brooks said he knows of two living in Walton County, and a few others outside the state. ¶ "This is a stain on our history, and a burden on our soul," Brooks said. "But the stain can be erased, and the burden can be lifted. The eyes of the nation shall now focus on Monroe, Georgia, just as the eyes of the nation focused on Philadelphia, Mississippi, and Birmingham, Alabama," he said, referring to the recent prosecutions and convictions in civil-rights era slayings in those cities. ¶ Walton County District Attorney Ken Wynne has said he understands the desire for justice, but that the case lacks sufficient witnesses and evidence. ¶ The re-enactment comes exactly a month after 1,000 members of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials unanimously passed a resolution urging prosecutors to bring charges for the first time in the unsolved lynchings.
JUNE 10, 2005 Activists to re-enact lynchings Event marks massacre’s 59th anniversary By Brittany Edwards The Covington News 770-787-6397 ext. 22 www.covnews.com
Civil rights activists plan to re-enact the 1946 Moore’s Ford Bridge lynchings to mark the anniversary of the gruesome massacre in Walton County and escalate the movement to prosecute those involved.
“This was the last public mass lynching in America,” said State Rep. Tyrone Brooks, president of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials. “It’s appropriate for us to call for a re-enactment on the day in which they were lynched.”
The decades-old hate crime case never led to an arrest, despite investigations by the FBI and GBI and a $25,000 reward. Only two of the original 55 suspects are known to be alive.
On July 25, 1946, four African Americans and an unborn baby were shot hundreds of times by a mob of unmasked white men in broad daylight at the Moore’s Ford Bridge in Monroe.
Roger and Dorothy Malcom and George and Mae Murray Dorsey were riding with a white farmer when between 20 and 25 men stopped the car on the bridge, according to the FBI’s 500-page synopsis of the case. According to the FBI, Dorothy Malcom was pregnant when she was killed.
The mob forced the couples out of the car, dragged them into the woods, bound them to trees and riddled their bodies beyond recognition with bullets. The farmer, Loy Harrison, was spared.
One of the victims, Roger Malcom, was accused of stabbing a white farmer 11 days before the lynchings. His car was ambushed on his way home from posting bail.
The Moore’s Ford Memorial Committee have requested the Walton County prosecutor seek indictments for the killings, demanding the arrest and prosecution of the lynching participants.
“The prosecutor doesn’t need new evidence,” Brooks said. “With the FBI and GBI investigations over the years, there is sufficient evidence.”
District Attorney Ken Wynne said that without new evidence to present to the grand jury there is not enough to prosecute the suspected perpetrators.
For those with information on the case, the fear of retaliation remains strong. Two witnesses to the murders have been interviewed by federal authorities in the past, but neither would identify any suspect still alive. New eyewitness testimony is needed to prosecute the case. A civil rights march over the Moore’s Ford Bridge in April stirred rumors of new witnesses, but no one ever came forth.
According to the original FBI file, a police vehicle was seen leaving the scene of the lynchings. Brooks believes this piece of evidence plays a key role in why the case remains unsolved.
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July 27, 2005 www.covnews.com
Brutal History
Activists gather for re-enactment of Moore's Ford lynchings
Brittany Edwards bedwards@covnews.com A white unmasked mob rips four African Americans — one visibly pregnant — out of the car, and drags them into the woods by the ropes slung around their necks. A barrage of bullets leaves the bodies lifeless on the ground. On the 59th anniversary of the America's last public lynchings, civil rights activists from across the country gathered in Walton County Monday to watch a re-enactment of the Moore's Ford Bridge massacre. "We've got to get some equity in America," said Sen. Charles Steele, national president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. "We demand justice for what happened on this day, July 25, 59 years ago." Hundreds crowded into the 1st African Baptist Church in Monroe to hear Steele, Rev. Jessie Jackson and several other prominent "freedom fighters" cry out for justice in the 1946 slayings of Roger and Dorothy Malcom and George and Mae Murray Dorsey. "Murder does not have a statute of limitations," Jackson told an inspired crowd. Following the two hour convocation in the church, the integrated crowd lined up in a 100-car motorcade and stopped at each location the Malcoms and Dorseys visited before that fateful day. Local activist Robert Howard served as narrator for the timeline. The incident that led to the Moore's Ford Bridge killings occurred on July 11, 1946, at Barney Hester's farmhouse. According to Howard, lynching victim Roger Malcom had suspicions that his wife, Dorothy, was having relations with the white farmer. While the two men had several confrontations before, on this particular day Roger refused to leave Hester's yard. Roger won the altercation when he stabbed Hester. The police then picked up Roger at the farmhouse and took him to jail where he remained for 11 days. Roger told Dorothy at the Old County Jail that he wasn't going to make it out of this alive. When Loy Harrison — a prominent white farmer in the area — bailed Roger out of jail on July 25, Roger gained some hope for his survival. Little did he know, Harrison was part of a conspiracy to get the couples to the bridge where they later died. Harrison posted Malcom out early in the day, but did not come back to pick him, Dorothy and the Dorseys up until 5:30 p.m. The farmer took the long way home so he could deliver the couples to the waiting mob. When Harrison came to the bridge, a car was blocking their way. On the other side of the Moore's Ford Bridge, three more cars blocked their exit. Once they stopped, unmasked members of the Klu Klux Klan emerged from the woods with their shotguns and ropes. Sitting in the car parked on the opposite side of the bridge was the Klan's grand dragon. The mob waited to attack until their master started barking orders, Howard told the enthralled crowd. George and Roger put up quite a fight once a rope was tied around Roger's neck. The mob "beat the two men to a pulp," Howard said. The women screamed and begged for their husband's lives. Then, Dorothy — who was seven months pregnant — made the mistake of calling one of the lynchers by his name. At that point, the leader told the Klan members to pull everyone out of the car. Both women struggled, clinging to the car's seats. As a result, each suffered a broken arm from shotgun blows. All four were dragged to the wooded spot where they ultimately lost their lives. The grand dragon paced up and down the row of the four bleeding bodies. On his count of three, the entire mob shot at once. As the Malcoms and the Dorseys hit the ground, the leader again counted to three and shots rang out. For a third time, a round of bullets hit the wounded on the count of three. At the funeral home, Roger's first wife was called into identify the bodies because they were riddled with bullets beyond recognition. No one warned her that it was that dramatic and she fainted instantly. The second time the undertaker pulled the sheet back, she said the only way she could tell which one was Roger was by the portion of his lips that remained. "I don't know what kind of animalistic tendencies that would allow these people to slaughter human beings," State Rep. Tyrone Brooks told the crowd at the conclusion of the gruesome re-enactment. "These were well-known people in this county that committed these horrific acts. "We must remind the nation and the world of the horrible tragedies that African Americans have suffered over the years. This is a teaching experience, so we can avoid repeating such tragedies every again."
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July 20 Activists set to re-enact Moore's Ford Lynchings
Rev. Jesse Jackson, leaders speak in Monroe in honor of 59th anniversary
Brittany Edwards bedwards@covnews.com Local civil rights activists hope to attract national attention to the unsolved Moore's Ford Bridge lynchings with a re-enactment of the gruesome murders on the 59th anniversary of America's last public lynching. "America is beginning to focus on the Moore's Ford Bridge case more than ever before," said State Rep. Tyrone Brooks, president of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials. "The eyes of the nation were on the Mississippi civil rights case, but now the verdict is in and the shift of focus is in our favor." Prominent leaders like the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King III have joined the fight, demanding the arrest and prosecution of the remaining perpetrators. Brooks said he's learned that at least five people involved in the the killings remain alive, with two still living in Walton County. "This is a stain on our history and a burden on our souls," Brooks said. "By prosecuting those involved, we can see closure in this horrible crime. "Hopefully this event will spawn a renewed, intensified effort by federal, state and local law enforcement." Interested community members are invited to meet at 2 p.m. Monday in the Monroe First African Baptist Church, located on Tyler Street off Ga. 11, to hear several guest speakers. Doors open at noon. At 4:30, the journey to relive Walton County's unforgettable past begins. Walton County civil rights activist Robert Howard will serve as the timeline narrator for the re-enactment. l 4:45 p.m. - Arrive at the Barney Hester's farm house, located at 2932 Hester Town Road. On July 14, 1946, an altercation between Hester and lynching victim Roger Malcom occurred. According to the original FBI report, Malcom allegedly stabbed Hester in the chest and was subsequently arrested. l 5 p.m. - Leave Barney Hester's farm house. l 5:15 p.m. - Arrive at the Old County Jail, located at 203 Milledge Ave. in downtown Monroe. Roger Malcom was detained here for 11 days. l 5:30 p.m. - Leave the jail en route to the Moore's Ford Bridge. This is the exact time that white farmer Loy Harrison took Roger and Dorothy Malcom and George and Mae Murray Dorsey from the jail and delivered them to the KKK lynch mob waiting at the Moore's Ford Bridge. Harrison posted Malcom's $600 bail and took the two African American couples the longest way home, according to the FBI. Harrison told investigators that when he reached the bridge a car blocked his way. l 6 p.m. - Arrive at the Moore's Ford Bridge for the Re-enactment Ceremony and Call for Justice: Arrest and Prosecution Now. A mob of unmasked white men forced the couples out of their car, dragged them into the woods, tied them to trees and riddled their bodies beyond recognition with bullets. According to the FBI, Dorothy Malcom was pregnant at the time of the massacre. l 7 p.m. Benediction at the Historic Memorial Marker dedicated to the legacy of the Malcoms and Dorseys, a call to continue the pursuit of justice. "It is important that we re-enact the lynchings every single year until justice is served," Brooks said. "The lynchings were part of a Black Holocaust, and we cannot forget it. "We need to educate the young and unborn generations, so that we can avoid such tragedies from ever happening again to anyone." The decades-old hate crime case never led to an arrest, despite investigations by the FBI and GBI. The law enforcement agencies continue to offer a $25,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of the killers. Contact the GBI at 404-244-2600 or the FBI at 404-679-9000.
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(Published 7/25/05)
Activists re-enact 1946 Georgia lynching to draw attention to unsolved case By ERRIN HAINES Associated Press Writer
¶ MONROE, Ga. (AP) _ Civil rights activists marked the 59th anniversary of an unsolved lynching Monday by re-enacting the brutal slayings of two black couples who were forced out of their car by a mob of white men and killed. ¶ The scene was recreated with black volunteers acting as Ku Klux Klansmen, fireworks for gunshots and fake blood poured on for effect. ¶ Lakeitha Lewis-Johnson, 30, cried during the re-enactment and turned away from the shouts of the Klan leader. ¶ "My grandmother lived in that era," Lewis-Johnson said. "She'd be scared to talk about this, even as an old woman. It's a hurting feeling." ¶ Activists said they staged the re-enactment to gain support for the prosecution of anyone who may have been involved in what they called the last mass public lynching in the United States. ¶ The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who joined religious and civil rights leaders at the rally, called for justice and urged those responsible to come forward. ¶ "You know who you are, and God knows who you are," Jackson shouted. "The police will not turn you in and the prosecutors will not pursue you, but the blood of the lynched cries out." ¶ Roger and Dorothy Malcom and George and Mae Murray Dorsey were riding with a white farmer when they were killed on July 25, 1946, a few days after Roger Malcom got into a fight with a white man. The mob forced them out of the car, dragged them down a wagon trail about 50 yards from a bridge over the Apalachee River and shot them, according to an FBI report. The farmer was spared. ¶ On Monday, a crowd of about 200 watched as the lynchings of the Dorseys and Malcoms were brought to life. The men fought as the women pleaded for their lives. Dorothy Malcom, who was pregnant, wrapped her arms over her unborn child. ¶ No one was ever charged in the lynchings, even though the FBI's report named 55 suspects. State Rep. Tyrone Brooks said he knows of two living in Walton County, and a few others outside Georgia. ¶ "This is a stain on our history, and a burden on our soul," Brooks said. "But the stain can be erased, and the burden can be lifted. The eyes of the nation shall now focus on Monroe, Georgia, just as the eyes of the nation focused on Philadelphia, Mississippi, and Birmingham, Alabama," he said, referring to the recent prosecutions and convictions in civil-rights era slayings in those cities. ¶ Last month, 1,000 members of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials unanimously passed a resolution urging prosecutors to bring charges in the case. ¶ Walton County District Attorney Ken Wynne has said he understands the desire for justice but the case lacks sufficient witnesses and evidence. ¶ The FBI was ordered to investigate the case in 1946 by President Truman but was thwarted by a lack of witnesses. Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Fred Stephens said recently that his office is pursuing every lead it gets. ¶ "They are sparse," he said, "but we have no doubt that there are still people in that community who have specific information about this case." ____________ ERRIN HAINES Newswoman Associated Press - Atlanta (404)522-8971 phone (404) 524-4639 fax ehaines@ap.org
