Tag Archives: Equal Justice Initiative

This day in history — April 28, 1936 — Lint Shaw Lynched in Georgia Eight Hours Before Trial

Posted on April 28, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On April 28, 1936, a 45-year-old black farmer named Lint Shaw was shot to death by a mob of forty men in Colbert, Georgia – just eight hours before he was scheduled to go on trial for an attempted criminal … Continue reading →

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This day in History — April 1, 1875 — United States Supreme Court Hears Argument in United States v. Cruikshank and Later Invalidates Convictions for Participating in Colfax, Louisiana Massacre

Posted on April 27, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On April 13, 1873, in Colfax, Louisiana, hundreds of white men clashed with freedmen at the Grant Parish courthouse. While only three white men died, it is estimated that nearly 150 black people died in the ensuing struggle – many … Continue reading →

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This day in history — April 25, 1959 — Mack Charles Parker Lynched in Mississippi

Posted on April 27, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

In what some historians call the β€œlast classic lynching in the United States,” Mack Charles Parker was killed on April 25, 1959, after he was accused of raping a pregnant white woman in Mississippi. Parker, a black man, denied the … Continue reading →

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This day in history — April 10, 1956 — Nat King Cole Attacked by White Men While Performing in Birmingham, Alabama

Posted on April 27, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On April 10, 1956, African American singer and pianist Nat King Cole was performing before a white-only audience of 4000 at the Municipal Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama, when he was attacked and knocked down by a group of white men. … Continue reading →

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This day in history — April 23, 1899 — Sam Hose Lynched in Newnan, Georgia

Posted on April 23, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

In January 1899, five Palmetto, Georgia, businesses were destroyed by two fires of unknown cause. Though there was no evidence to support the theory, white residents quickly concluded that the fires were set by black conspirators intent on destroying property … Continue reading →

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This day in history — — April 20, 2012 — First Challenge Under North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act Proves Racial Bias

Posted on April 20, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On April 20, 2012, Cumberland County Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Gregory Weeks issued the first decision under North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act, ruling that racial bias had played a role in Marcus Robinson’s 1991 trial and commuting Mr. Robinson’s … Continue reading →

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This day in history — April 12, 1955 — Researchers Announce Polio Vaccine, Developed from Henrietta Lacks’Cells

Posted on April 12, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On April 12, 1955, Dr. Thomas Francis Jr. and Dr. Jonas Salk announced the successful results of the first polio vaccine. Researchers developed the vaccine using cells from the HeLa cell line, cells derived from the cancerous tissues of Henrietta … Continue reading →

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This day in history — April 9, 1865 – Lee Surrenders to Grant at Appomattox Court House

Posted on April 9, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

On April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his approximately 28,000 troops to Union General Ulysses S. Grant in the front parlor of Wilmer McLean’s home in Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War. Less than … Continue reading →

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This day in history — April 7, 1712 — Enslaved People Revolt in New York City

Posted on April 7, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

In 1712, New York City had a large enslaved population and the city’s whites feared the threat of rebellion. Enslaved people in New York City suffered many of the same brutal punishments and methods of control faced by their counterparts … Continue reading →

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This day in history — April 3, 1851 — Thomas Sims, Escaped Slave, Captured in Boston

Posted on April 3, 2018 by William Eric Waters, aka Easy Waters

Thomas Sims, Escaped Slave, Captured in Boston In 1850, the U.S. Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which sought to force Northern officials to apprehend alleged runaway slaves and ensure their return to slavery in the South. Any official who … Continue reading →

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