Lynching, Black Culture and Memory

Realms of Memory

Beginning in 1880s Africans Americans became the targets of a lynching craze that claimed thousands of lives. In Beyond the Rope: The Impact of Lyching on Black Culture and Memory, University of Oklahoma historian Karlos K. Hill argues that narratives are key to understanding not just what drove the lynching craze but how African Americans responded. It was the narrative of the black beast rapist that fueled and justified the lyching mania. African American activists and cultural actors responded with their own victimization and consoling narrative to galvanize public support and to offer examples of courage and heroism to inspire future generations. Victimization and consoling narratives were both examples of how African Americans found usable pasts to fight against racial violence and injustice.