Strange Fruit - Montgomery Lynching Memorial

Elderly woman in her wheelchair silently taking in the memorial.  

She stops at a particular county and pulls herself up to read the names. Then lets out a wailing cry that seemed to come from her womb, maybe her soul, definitely her heart. 

It was a member of her family. 

As I stared at stories listed behind why someone was lynched I became so bitterly angry with the inhumane treatment of my people.   And much how many of the reasons were so trivial and akin to why so many black and brown bodies are taken today.  

Has much actually changed? 

Here’s what struck me the most..so many listed as “unknown” along with the date of their lynching. How many of their families were never even notified? How many times have we heard the story of a black man leaving to get groceries, cigarettes, or a small errand and never returning? What if those stories that we thought were abandonment were actually kidnapping? Wouldn’t that change the narrative for the family, the children, and the future generations?  

I have many questions and no answers.   

Here are my photos from my experience..

 National Memorial for Peace and Justice  

#amanwaslynchedyesterday #istillhavealumpinmythroat #eji #equaljusticeinitiative #memorialforpeaceandjustice #montgomeryalabama