Racial proximity that symbolized affection was a lynching catalyst for black men
Evidence
At a reflection service after the trip, Cathy summed up this simple but powerful moment: “We sat and shed tears together, neither of us completely knowing or understanding the source of those tears, but we were there for each other.” The racial complexity of this moment, however, was thick for Tim. He later confessed to Cathy that he couldn’t help but think about what the evidence all around them demonstrated: that the simple physical proximity of a white woman and a black man was precisely the catalyst for the torture and murder of many a black man remembered on the columns suspended above them. — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long, 603
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Over 4,400 verified lynchings of African Americans occurred between 1877 and 1950 — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long: The Legacy of White…, 568; Retributive racial violence functioned to reassure whites of racial dominance — Robert P. Jones, White Too Long: The Legacy of White…, 633; Lynching made whiteness tangible by dissecting Black bodies — Sherene Razack, Casting Out: The Eviction of Muslims…, 160 (+4 more)
Broader Connections
- Lynching made whiteness tangible by dissecting Black bodies
#expands(0.85) — Sherene Razack, Casting Out, 160 - Racial violence encodes disavowed homoerotic desire between white and black men
#expands(0.80) - Lynchings enforced racial hierarchy when racist ideas failed to
#corroborates(0.80) — Ibram X. Kendi, Stamped from the Beginning, 765 - Lynching rose as Black people gained more civil rights.
#corroborates(0.75) — Sherene Razack, Casting Out, 169 - Most lynchings arose from Black male autonomy threatening reimposed white supremacy.
#qualifies(0.72) — Dorothy A. Brown, Getting to Reparations, 294