Her Name was Mary Turner

Mary Turner was an African American woman who lived in Valdosta, Georgia, during the early 20th century. Like many of our people during that time, She became a victim of horrific racial violence during America’s deeply segregated Jim Crow era. The events surrounding her lynching are a reflection of the daily domestic terrorism and injustice faced by our people during that time.

The murder occurred in 1918 when an angry white mob lynched Mary Turner in response to the killing of Hampton Smith, a white plantation owner. Following Smith’s murder, the community was inflamed with racial tension. As a result, a series of violent reprisals unfolded. Mary Turner, who was eight months pregnant, spoke out against the unjust lynching of her husband, Hayes Turner. Her husband was killed the day prior as part of the retaliation for Smith’s death.

Mary’s outspoken condemnation of the lynching, along with her intent to seek justice for her husband, angered the white community. In a horrifying turn of events, the mob turned its attention to a very pregnant Mary Turner. What happened next was the unthinkable. The mob captured Mary, brutally beat her, set her on fire, and hung her from a tree. While hanging from the tree, still alive, They sliced Mary’s belly wide open. Her unborn child fell out of her body and the mob crushed the baby’s skull to death. All in front of this dying mother. Once her baby’s skull was bashed in, members of the angry mob riddle her hanging body with bullets.

The lynching of Mary Turner was a heinous act that exposed the deeply rooted racism and systemic injustice prevalent in the United States during the Jim Crow era… And dare I say beyond… The incident not only claimed the life of an innocent woman and her unborn but also highlighted the complete disregard for our lives and the absence of legal protection for our people.

The tragic events surrounding Mary Turner’s lynching drew attention nationally, sparking outrage among civil rights activists, and those advocating for an end to racial violence. However, despite the attention, justice was elusive. The perpetrators of the lynching were not held accountable, as the legal system at the time often failed to bring white individuals to justice for crimes against us… Let that last sentence marinate for a second…

Mary Turner’s story remains a poignant reminder of the need for social and racial justice. Her brutal lynching stands as a symbol of the atrocities faced by our people during a dark period in American history. It also serves as a call to confront the legacy of racism and to work towards creating a more just and equitable society.

In remembering Mary Turner, we must acknowledge the pain and suffering endured by countless individuals who were victims of racial violence. Her story should inspire ongoing efforts to address systemic racism and to ensure that such tragic events are never repeated in the pursuit of a more inclusive and just society.