“Killing Them by The Wholesale” By: Shanteja, Will, Carmin, and Micah

During this time there were so many lynching’s, Sociologist called this period “lynching era”. Literally thousands of men,women,and children were murdered at the hands of the mobs in the “lynching era”.

Valdosta, Georgia Police officers Calvin Dampier and M. Dampier went to the head of the mobs house Dixon Smith, who recently murdered Hampton Smith. A large crowd gathered around the house as shots were exchanged. Dixon and both Dampier's were wounded. Valdosta, Georgia

1905 Historians wrote that “our country’s national crime is lynching”. It became an unknown crime. One historian suggested that it had become “a new national pastime” National pastime is like a hobby Baseball is one of the top national pastimes.

1940 Confusion and debate was settled when anti- lynching leaders came to consensus. They determined that a person had been killed and that he met his death illegally at the hands of a group acting under the pretext of service to justice.

Percentages Historian Fitzhugh Brundage wrote that between 1880 and 1930 lynching’s increased from 82% in the 1880’s to 95% in the 1920’s In this era this defined there culture. There was too many lynching’s to pinpoint an exact number. Which was one of the most cruel eras of America.

NAACP Walter White determined that there were 549 lynching victims in Georgia between 1880 to 1930 and 510 were black (92.8%) Legislation passed that sheriffs had to break up and protect those involved. Sheriffs did not do so they participated which means no one would stop it those who tried were also hung.

Walter White report Sidney Johnson told many people in the town he alone killed smith. May 22 Chief Dampier went to the house they knew Johnson was in the house they opened fire. They walked and found Johnson dead. The mob feeling cheated of lynching so they got the body and unsexed him. They threw the parts in the yard and put a rope around his neck and drove until nothing remained.

Mary Turner Mary Turner made what the newspaper reported as “unwise remarks” concerning her husband’s death. These were comments that only inflamed the mob, and she became it’s next target. Mary Turner was eight months pregnant and in possession of Hampton Smith’s pocket watch. She was apprehended on Sunday afternoon and taken to Folsom’s bridge. The mod tied her ankles together and hung her to a tree head down. A member of the mob laid her stomach open with a knife and her unborn baby fell to the ground.

1918 Because of the death of Johnson 4 negro’s were hung for committing a crime someone else did. It was what they called “killing them by the wholesale”. To Georgia it was important to hang one white man for participation in the mob violence.

End of lynching’s The mob violence in the county a reputation unequalled in Georgia the south and possibly the country. Those lynching’s confirmed that Brooks County was the most mob-prone and lynch- prone county in the state that led the nation in mob violence.