Lynching Of Black America Essay

AT THE HANDS OF PERSONS UNKNOWN: The Lynching of Black America by Philip Dray, Amazon, $11.89

Philip Dray is an American author and historian. Dray is known for his analyses of racial and labor history in America. His book At the Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America won him the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award and a spot as a finalist in 2003 Pulitzer Prize. Dray has written five books, with one being a children’s book named Yours for Justice, Ida B. Wells: The Daring Life of a Crusading Journalist.

Living in President Trump’s America, many immigrants are in fear that they will become America’s new negro. The fear of terrorist attacks on America’s soil has turn some citizen into reincarnation of the people that Philip Dray

While researching, he found that the act of lynching was a way of restoring honor to a person that was wrong. Dray writes about the name lynch, coming from a Quaker named Charles lynch. Lynch was known for his foul mouth. He set up improvised courts that routinely sentenced suspected horse thieves and British sympathizers to beating during the war. Lynch was later sewed by the victims of his makeshift court system and he was exonerated. The court felt Charles lynch was appropriate given the stressful circumstances. Dray added this passage to demonstration America government’s Laissez-faire attitude when came to civil matters. Another key point, Dray added, was the assault on Sen Charles Sumner. Comparatively to Lynch victims, Charles Sumner was assaulted for allegedly insulting a Senator’s Butler. The attack was considered justified, even though the attack happened at Sumner's office. It was said to be the proper act, done in the proper place at the proper time . Dray's restating these events helps solidify his claim of lynching is not just in racism. Dray did not discredit Afro-American as victims in later years. However, in the south early years’ blacks was viewed as property. Because of that, Dray conclude that early lynching was psycho-cultural