The Lynching of James T. Scott
There is a simple plaque at the east end of the MKT Spur off the Katy Trail into Columbia, MO.
Commissioned in 2016 by Missouri University's Association of Black Graduate and Professional Students, it recalls the lynching of James T. Scott at the Stewart Road Bridge with this text:
Near this place James T. Scott, a Black Janitor in the medical school at MU, was killed on April 29th, 1923. A mob brought Mr. Scott to the bridge, placed a noose around his neck, and pushed him over the railing while hundreds of spectators watched. MU's presence and alleged student involvement in Mr. Scott's murder stirred public outrage and made front-page news across the U.S. Although charges were filed against leaders of the mob, none were convicted.
Scott was a father, a veteran of the First World War, and prominent in his community.
Please, say his name.
John LaRoe, .
The plaque memorializng the Lynching of James T. Scott, Columbia, MO
For more about James T. Scott:
This two-part series from the Columbia Missourian by Tynan Stewart provides more context, some details and a good starting point for anyone interested in learning moe about James T. Scott:
"An author retraces James T. Scott's life, ending the silence about her family's link to his death."
Part One: Legacy of a Lynching (26 April 2019)
Part Two: Lifting the Cloud (27 April 2019)
The book described in Stewart's article, A Lynching in Little Dixie: The Life and Death of James T. Scott, ca. 1885-1923, by Patricia L. Roberts, is available for Kindle and in paperback at Amazon:
A Lynching in Little Dixie: The Life and Death of James T. Scott, ca. 1885-1923
©2020 LaRoeDotCom.
All rights reserved.