J ames cameron survived being lynched from a maple tree in marion, indiana, when he was sixteen years old. Cameron and his lynching story have been featured in documentary films, in televised interviews with the likes of larry king and oprah, and in books by historians, journalists, and even psychologists. S thomas shipp and abram smith, august 7, 1930, photo by lawrence beitler. It deserves a place alongside the works of other african american memoirists, such as frederick douglass, booker t. James cameron february 25, 1914 june 11, 2006 was an american civil rights activist. He found further critical and commercial success with aliens 1986, the abyss 1989, terminator 2.
Race and memory in america 2001, which focuses on a 1930 lynching in marion, indiana. Cameron finally mortgaged his home in 1982 to selfpublish and distribute a time of terror. A history scarred by lynchings the washington post. Cameron s story has been reported or portrayed by nightline, pbs, hbo, ebony, village voice, newsweek, the washington post, in the book lynching in the heartland by james madison, and in the book the god moment by alan d. The first part is about the lynching and subsequent criminal trial. With essays by hilton als, leon litwack, congressman john lewis and james allen, these photographs have been published as a book without sanctuary. On a friday night in march 1981 henry hays and james knowles scoured the streets of mobile in their car, hunting for a black man.
On multiple occasions, black residents were lynched on a bridge outside of town and. He was lynched for having given christmas cards to all his coworkers at the van priest dime store, including cynthia goff, a white girl, followed by a letter to her on new years day. The boys were arrested, dragged from jail by a mob, and lynched on the courthouse. Publication date 2001 topics cameron, james, 1914, african americans indiana marion social conditions. Harvey young is assistant professor of theatre, performance studies, and radiotelevisionfilm at northwestern university. There are different slants on what happened, which is understandable due to the milling confusion of an enraged mob. Although this book was written well over 100 years ago, it is a testament to the horrors that took place in the lives of free men who just happened to be negro. James cameron uses the still photographs of previous lynching campaigns and a souvenir from his own nearlynching to establish an archive of the horrors of u.
This book, the only account ever written by a lynching survivor, is a unique and highly readable historical resource. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. The tuskegee institute records the lynching of 4,742 blacks between 1882 and 1968. In alexandria, one lynching spot was a lamppost at cameron and lee streets, according to historical accounts. Book discussion on living with lynching internet archive. Pfeifer teaches american history at evergreen state college in olympia, washington. Cameron was born in lacrosse, wisconsin, to a father who worked as a barber and was extremely abusive. Whereas african americans are typically framed as victims of white lynch mob violence in both scholarly and public discourses, karlos k. Allen, an antiques dealer in atlanta, has accumulated a. Interviews chronicles the writerdirectors rise through the hollywood system, highlighted by his cando attitude and his insatiable drive to make the best film possible. The annals of iowa iowa research online university of.
Based on a book by hilton als and james allen, the exhibit collects 75 photographs of lynchings that took place between 1880 and 1960. Beyond the rope is an interdisciplinary study that draws on narrative theory and cultural studies methodologies to trace african americans changing attitudes and relationships to lynching over the twentieth century. For all those lily livered fools in our world, who are quick to parrot that idiotic sentence slavery was before my time, let me remind you of james byrd of texas in 2000. This is probably a small percentage of these murders, which were seldom repor. The book is also a deftly researched history of the civil rights movement. Cameron was a survivor of a lynching attempt, which occurred when he was a 16yearold suspect in a murderrobbery case in. Lynching of thomas shipp and abram smith wikipedia. As a young boy growing up in canada, cameron imagined himself an astronaut, a deepsea explorer, a science fiction writer, or a filmmaker. A new book looks at a community in mississippi that is at the center of a dark piece of american history. Camerons story has been reported or portrayed by nightline, pbs, hbo, ebony, village voice, newsweek, the washington post, in the book lynching in the heartland by james madison, and in the book the god moment by alan d. James cameron, the oldest living person to survive an. Whether conveyed through newspapers, photographs, or billie hollidays haunting song strange fruit, lynching has immediate and graphic connotations for all who hear the word. His work as journalist and his new family brought him a closer understanding of the country he already loved.
Madison is the thomas and kathryn miller professor of history at indiana university. James cameron 19142006 founded americas black holocaust museum in milwaukee, wisconsin, and published dozens of essays on american history, politics, and culture. Up to 20 books are listed, in descending order of popularity. Christopher waldreps heartwrenching but compelling documentary collection on american lynching traditions could not appear at a more fitting time. During the summer of 1930, james cameron survived a lynching.
The epic courtroom battle that brought down the klan, by journalist and author laurence leamer, recounts 19yearold donalds horrific death in 1981 at the hands of alabama ku klux klan members. Strange fruit was originally composed in protest of lynching by abel meerpol in 1937 after viewing this famous photograph the picture is a black and white window to a tragic and unforgivable event. Jim loewen born february 6, 1942 is an american sociologist, historian, and author, best known for his 1995 book, lies my teacher told me. A third african american suspect, 16yearold james cameron, had also. Charles lynch 173696, of neighboring bedford later campbell co. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Willie james howard july, 1928 january 2, 1944 was a 15yearold africanamerican living in live oak, suwannee county, florida. Morris dees, the civil rights attorney who cofounded the southern poverty law center, and the landmark 1984 lawsuit he won on behalf of a slain black mans family are at the heart of this stirring true story of racial politics and the legal takedown of the ku klux klan. This is a true accounting of lynch law in the south after the freeing of the slaves by president lincoln via the emancipation proclamation. James cameron, the oldest living person to survive an attempt at a lynching, is hugged by dr. Madison notes in passing that cameron fictionalized some events in his book. Cameron was on hand for the announcement of a historic resolution in which the u. While this picture of lynching tells a distressingly familiar story about mob violence in.
Cameron, who kept a piece of the rope that had scarred his neck moments before he was spared, was the only known survivor of a lynching attempt. Lynching photography in america is a profound documentary of unimaginable evil and wickedness. Senate in 2005 as the nations oldest known survivor of a lynching. James cameron 19142006 was an early civil rights pioneer, selftaught public historian, and author of dozens of essays on issues in american and african american history and contemporary life. Faye williams after he spoke during a press conference held by senate members who will pass a historic.
A survivors story expanded, revised with foreword, introduction and afterword ed. Lynching, a form of violence in which a mob, under the pretext of administering justice without trial, executes a presumed offender, often after inflicting torture. Americas black holocaust museum bringing our history to. Holmes and thurmond, who had been moved temporarily to. One critic has claimed recently that no song in american history has ever been. Cameron s most well known written work is his memoir, a time of terror. Cone orbis books, sep 01, 2011 african american literature book club celebrating our literary legacy since 1997 black literature is for everyone african american literature book club. The book covers the criminal and civil trials that took place in the wake of the lynching of michael donald, an africanamerican whose only transgression was walking home from a convenience store while black. In the book, he wrote about lynching as a tragic feature of american history and culture. Senate apologized for not enacting federal antilynching legislation during the. James cameron s story of science fiction new books in. James cameron national visionary february 25, 1914 to june 11, 2006 born in lacrosse, wisconsin civil rights activist, author, museum director recognized by the u. James francis cameron cc born august 16, 1954 is a canadian filmmaker and environmentalist, who is best known for making science fiction and epic films for the hollywood mainstream.
Cameron was a survivor of a lynching attempt, which occurred when he was a 16yearold suspect in a murderrobbery case in marion, indiana. The term is derived from the name of charles lynch 173696, who led an irregular court formed to punish loyalists during the. Delaware county district library ohio scanned in china. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that the. Cameron first gained recognition for directing the terminator 1984. Among his publications is a lynching in the heartland. Washington, richard wright, maya angelou, and president barak obama. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Despite the terrible trauma he endured in his formative years, he was a forgiving, peaceful, loving man with a playful and sometimes. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A landmark in the conversation about race and religion in america. James cameron, museum founder and lynching survivor. Carson cant keep up with rodney dangerfields nonstop oneliners 1974 duration. The night before they had been charged with murdering a white factory.
Illustrated with rare and previously unseen concept art from camerons personal archives, plus imagery from iconic scifi movies, tv shows, and books, james camerons story of science fiction offers a sweeping examination of a genre that continues to ask questions, push. In the 1940s, he founded three chapters of the national association for the advancement of colored people naacp in indiana. Searching through americas past for the last 25 years, collector james allen uncovered an extraordinary visual legacy. Dear friend, just a few lines to let you hear from me. A new book recalls a notorious lynching site in the. The term is derived from the older term lynch law, which is most likely named after either capt. The true story by the third victim of this lynching in the north who missed his appointment with death. Faye williams, after cameron recounted an episode in which he was almost lynched in 1930, in marion, indiana. A survivors story cameron, james, kaplan, fran, loewen, james w. Eventually meeropol turned the poem in to the song strange fruit, which billy holiday. His knowledge of the literature on lynching is masterful and far ranging. He also served as indianas state director of the office of civil liberties from 1942 to 1950. Four black teens were arrested for the alleged rape of a young white woman, mary ball, and murder of a young white man, claude deeter.