Knoxville's Red Summer: The Riot of 1919

KNOXVILLE'S RED SUMMER: THE RIOT OF 1919 chronicles the unrest that occurred in Knoxville following the murder of Bertie Lindsey and the attempted lynching of the accused, Maurice Mays.
Knoxville's Red Summer includes rediscovered news reel footage of the city, post-riot from 1919.
This film was made possible through the materials, audio, and partnerships of:
The Beck Cultural Exchange Center
The McClung Collection
The Tennessee Archives of Moving Images and Sound
The Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
The Sherman Grinberg Film Library

[@terriallen120]

I'm almost sure this has happened in every state in this country... and our ancestors were told During the Reconstruction to pull yourself up by your bootstraps but they burned everything that our ancestors worked for and took it away.

[@the16blackmeccas68]

This is a identical story to: -TULSA, Oklahoma - Wilmington, N. Carolina - Knoxville, Tenessee - ROSEWOOD

[@hennylo68]

Elaine, Arkansas

[@prettysmart9025]

Emitt Till in Mississippi some 40 years later

[@joelhunton8600]

You can also Ocoee, FL to this list.

[@mattrussillo4587]

@@prettysmart9025 everything wasn't Emmett Till ,You Know.

[@gregorybeard4313]

Detroit, Black Bottom.

[@bettyjenkins2162]

You have to teach yourself and family our history. Don't depend on the public schools.

[@JayplayzLS]

I've lived in Knoxville for over 40 years. I went to 7 different schools in Knox county. Why do they not teach this here. I'm shocked to find this out. It's sad...

[@trayjohnson1415]

Omaha Nebraska 1919 will brown red summer Chicago 1919 masscare red summer

[@dunique26]

Its shameful, that's why.

[@joelhunton8600]

It's a coverup.

[@boogityhoo7452]

@@joelhunton8600 it can't be a coverup when there is tons of news articles and written proof of it happening.

[@markdoobak1]

@@boogityhoo7452 if you don't dig deep you won't find it. The point made is they're not teaching this history in public schools in Tennessee, why?

[@deborahmorales7096]

I am 54 years old and I am just learning of this. My education was so whitewashed but I’m educating myself on real American history.

[@SunnyandNova]

This comment looks familiar

[@Bdermady]

Absolutely, it’s the only way to get the truth out and stop the division in our country. I never heard about any of this either.

[@hereisayana8207]

Appreciate it

[@deloreswillis9224]

Me also

[@TexasNinjaReturns]

That's your parents fault then. It's in the Library. It was in books. I'm white and my parents taught me about Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr and they agreed with both of them. I've met Black people who know nothing about Rev King or Malcom X and that is the parents fault. Education begins at home.

[@jonathanchevez316]

Imagine been a veteran of at least two wars, surviving both and returning home just to get mowed down by your own countrymen, the ones you most likely fought side by side with.

[@michaelballard3413]

Black vietnam veterans met similar circumstances

[@africarib]

I can't imagine having to swallow that rage

[@ps0195]

Horrible.

[@kennethwatson824]

Don’t let them erase their true history in exchange for Fairytales

[@missgigglebox748]

This popped up on my recommendations so I decided to watch it since I was born and raised in Knoxville. Just like most of the comments I read, when I went to Farragut High they never taught this. As a white woman, I cannot believe people hated others just for the color of their skin. Within the last year, I have took it upon myself to teach myself the struggles of blacks in America. I started with Emmett Till and then the 13th Amendment and I have so many more documentaries I plan to watch. This is such a dark time in our history and I pray people can find love in their hearts for each other.

[@sheilapate7604]

And sad that it’s still going on but worse it seems like

[@morbidcorpse5954]

I'm black and attended school on Chicago's South Side. I didn't learn about black massacres or lynching until I researched it as an adult. I have a Masters degree and didn't even learn about it in college. I think we as children aren't taught this history because its too graphic for young children; even teenagers.

[@specialredd8031]

It just doesn't end with my people this stuff is with any other people who are not white. You have so much to learn about if your going down that rabbit hole. Have fun with that info you find. Absorb it. Change the world with it. Lately all I've seen is hate. Not all of us are bad people just like everyone else. Alot of people just want to survive.

[@darrellpate1270]

@@sheilapate7604 we may be related Ms Pate

[@vanessahumphrey-ghazi8342]

Look up the documentaries called, "Hidden Colors". (Not the movie, "Hidden Figures"). They get confused sometimes.

[@redcross6963]

Born & raised in Knoxville & I'm ashamed to say I never knew of this. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@SunnyandNova]

I’m from Boston and I’ve known of this my whole life thanks to my father 🤓

[@chrisanddorisarnold6341]

I’ve lived in Knoxville my whole life. I’ve never heard of this before. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@peasypublishingcopeasybaby]

I’m a Black Knoxvillian. Western Heights Western Ave, Beaumont Area. We Still Dealing With Aftermath Of This Riot.

[@blueridger28]

As a white Appalachainer I subscribed to get a better grasp of my local history,a history that wasn't taught or well known to me. Thanks for the interesting content.

[@kaybee126]

Thank you for wanting to learn more

[@billy9497able]

Mr Booker is a regular customer at the restaurant I work at. Such an amazing sweet man. Sings karaoke on weekends and still writes for newspapers at 90 plus years. He really is one of a kind and I have nothing but love for the man.

[@carltonbanks5470]

You know whats sad? All through Appalachia and the South, Irish and Scottish immigrants were given free land right off the boat. After the Civil War, it would be 6 Scots/Irish immigrants that started the Klan in Pulaski, Tennessee. Meanwhile black folks couldn't even get a mule and 40 acres.

[@jkkennedy8919]

All facts

[@knoxvegas1997]

Imagine being from Knoxville and just hearing this. Damn wake up me talking to myself

[@robinafrica3456]

The book “The Red Summer” talks about ALL of the race riots that took place from the east coast to the west coast from 1900 - 1921

[@TheEnigmaticBM39]

Who was the author of this book?

[@veerodriguez1751]

I've lived in Knoxville my whole life and never heard this until now. I'm 34.

[@bubbledumbb]

same here. born and raised in knoxville yet i've never heard of it.

[@kennethgilbert6154]

Kept it untold like Black Wallstreet in Tulsa,ok Massacre

[@o_foxxyfoxxy_o]

This stuff really needs to be taught in schools. Only today I learned about "lynching postcards" and the ocoee massacre. I'd say america's racist past is sickening, but after seeing people being murdered by police without due process in the current day, our present is sickening too.

[@maxlemoine7151]

👁️👁️

[@maxlemoine7151]

👩‍🔧

[@jackiereynolds2888]

Your textbook's selection of relevant history always depends upon author- ship. I have books which discuss the very same incident - but their views on the very same said incident are often times wildly different.

[@shanesmith481]

these documentaries really get me upset. It's hard to believe I have to go to KZbin to get educated. I would do what I got to do to learn the truth

[@WindDancer435]

Yes, these documentaries are fantastic learning tools. A lot of African American history has been erased. Look at what they are doing to the history books and how long African Americans had to wait to even get two weeks of recognition of African American achievements that was later expanded to a month, whereas whites learned about their history on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis.

[@blaqueroze1805]

U right and now a law has been passed to prevent teaching any of this.

[@zestcres]

Agree...I'm on KZbin doing my history lesson

[@blaqueroze1805]

The law will not stop Me from teaching my youth whats real

[@MADNEWYORKER914]

If you like reading, I recommend a book called "Sun Down Towns". That book will make you even angrier because everything in that book actually happened!!!

[@perspiringspike]

I live in knoxville and have lived in east TN, Dandridge and the like, for almost all of my life. I've never heard this even mentioned. I even consider myself kind of knowledgeable about stuff like this. I'd read up on Tulsa a few years ago but I've never mentioned heard this even mentioned! Thank you for helping bring this info to light!

[@thewampus97tj]

I grew up in east TN. We even had a state history class and we were never taught this. Racism is a nasty awful thing.

[@Eisawithlove]

Born and raised in Knoxville and I've NEVER heard about this.... SMH.

[@TkDatNinja]

Grew up in Knoxville and they never taught us this. I didnt learn about it until a year or so ago. Its shameful.

[@ennieminee4470]

There are probably thousands of historical events that occurred in Knoxville that you never heard of before

[@jamykellewis1232]

Knoxville , tn?

[@saludanite]

Remember that Jesus said; "and fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Justice waits...but does not sleep.

[@felixthecat2786]

That's all nonsense, this is a lie that people continually tell themselves. Justice happens in this life and in the here and now. People quote Jesus when they don't want to admit that justice has and never will be done for the people who were destroyed.

[@louisejones5773]

@@felixthecat2786 nothing that Jesus said was nonsense. "Vengeance is my own saith the Lord". If you realized the kind of wrath that He is going to pour out on some people you would know that what was said is anything but nonsense

[@hermosareina1212]

My faith in YAH tells me this. Thank you.

[@God.sDaughter]

I believe in God too. The powers that be must pay for all the chaos that they have caused in this world.

[@q.t.gamingfamily]

I always thought this was a MASSACRE not a riot

[@rpbvid]

@Terri Quinn You thought r right, Sister

[@spiritualrising3419]

Indeed Sis

[@orlandogill7082]

So much for truth and justice ⚖️.

[@katiedid92982]

I've been here for 20 years. They don't teach this stuff...and they SHOULD.

[@mrcarter7314]

Tulsa OK, Rosewood FL, Durham NC, and Knoxville TN. I'm sure there are many more. Starting to see a pattern here. 🤔

[@sharonrichmond5507]

Chicago Il-1919!!!

[@xmorgan1156]

Central Park used to be Seneca Village

[@craigmabry1392]

Elaine ,Arkansas

[@901thuggin]

Slocum Massacre, Memphis Massacre, Clinton Mississippi, Vicksburg, Mississippi and many more.

[@robsim4692]

What pattern do you think you are starting too see exactly!

[@Kiss_lynda]

27yrs ago I lived next to the biggest 2 racist in loudon co and both ended up with a black grandsons. My mother said, “god has a way of straightening people out”.

[@chriscripplercruz1833]

I live in Clinton TN and I have heard that at least ten times lol I have to agree

[@4abrownafrica420]

You mean a black man created biracial to white kids!

[@tiffanyfoy1039]

😄😄😄right on right on👍👍

[@Satty62]

I am 59 years old and have lived in Knoxville my whole life and I have never heard of this. And the funny thing is that I consider myself as a History buff.

[@robtans5042]

It happened my grandfather told me about it

[@timmartin7664]

That's almost as funny as the cartoon artwork depicting what led up to the riots. Example, rioters looking underneath the desk, hoping to find Maurice Mays. lol

[@OldHeathen1963]

Hidden History by design. ( part of the lost Cause propaganda)

[@hks2377]

Maurice Mayes’s name should be cleared.

[@orionsghost9511]

Indeed, it should. Where's the presidential pardon for that?

[@ps0195]

Absolutely

[@horsymandias-ur]

Just like in Tulsa.

[@aliciaposte8759]

I find it difficult to believe that Knoxville did not have racial issues before this incident. Federick Douglass wrote in The Life and Times of Federick Douglass that in 1859 a black man was met by a mob because they thought the man was him. "As showing their feelings towards me, I may state that a colored man appeared about this time in Knoxville, Tenn., and was beset by a furious crowd with knives and bludgeons because he was supposed to be Fred. Douglas." (Douglas, p.234)

[@DS9Sisko]

This video does not say there were no racial issues in 1919. That is a complete misreading of the commentary. What it does is picks up shortly around before Red Summer and describes the general sentiments of what Knoxville was like, BUT had you paid attention, it quickly makes clear tensions were there from the start.

[@killbreastali3228]

Why are people so afraid of the truth? Smh

[@shanesmith481]

Amen

[@CoCo-yv3hl]

Don’t think they are afraid want to keep it covert so they can continue

[@Virtuouswoman78]

I'm 45 year's old and I'm from Tennessee and I have never heard about any of this 😮

[@janathurmond9390]

Wow

[@bunnedee]

Learned all this from my great great memmaw. She was a mcmillan. Her father was the mayor cousin.

[@dawud_the_general]

You can never forget history, HISTORY WILL ALWAYZ repeat its self and be revealed....(HIS-STORY) ....WAKE UP ...PEOPLE!!!!!

[@victorwood664]

Its so much history of my people hidden that they're coming to the surface nowadays. You can deny a lie but you can't deny the truth.

[@wisdom1224]

There was a destruction of black economies after the birth of a nation came out in 1901. July 21 2021 will mark 100 year anniversary of Tulsa. Smh. There is a reason it was not taught

[@captainarcher2]

You forgot Rosewood and many other towns of that time that suffered the same.

[@MarianDouglasUngaro]

NOT JULY. The Tulsa Massacre was committed at the end of MAY and beginning of JUNE, 1921. #TulsaMassacre1921 #MayJune1921 #MassacresUSA #USA

[@cartierbrown9143]

THOSE BLACK MEN WHO STOOD TOUGH AND FOUGHT HAVE MY UP MOST RESPECT

[@capoislamort100]

*utmost respect.

[@1231nlp]

Dam! Another massacre! Am I to assume there was a massacre in all 48 states?

[@rbean1954]

Yes

[@MADNEWYORKER914]

Just about!!!

[@sowbeautyful]

Absolutely

[@spiritualrising3419]

Damn near

[@wildfire9280]

Multiple in some, actually. Wait that’s not better-

[@0397rb]

Never knew humanity could be so cruel hundred years later the cruilty is still there

[@teresawicks9859]

Don't u mean white humanity?

[@Choco4848ddk]

I can only shake my head and shed tears at how our people are treated! I hope I am alive when our redeemer comes back to put things back in order.

[@amberarmstrong8174]

Hes on the way beloved

[@lisaellis2593]

Amen

[@agrivatedamerican6630]

100 years later here we are.

[@BarbaPamino]

Spanish bird flu and economic turmoil to boot. No world war today though. Not yet anyway.

[@norrisb4301]

Still ..... Nothing Changes but The WEATHER. !!!! 😳

[@4abrownafrica420]

Third video I've seen in which the black man gets in trouble over white women!

[@apprentessjgooden2263]

The idea is to erase this from history, and make it appear that the African American plight just began around the Civil Rights era.

[@manleynelson9419]

It is published allover the place

[@dougsmith632]

I did a study of Leo Frank, lynched in 1915, and a murder in my own family of that era. I found that my grandparents, 1900-1980, probably sought to keep it from igniting the passions of teenagers. When I was older, we had some very frank discussions. I feel confident that my Dad wanted me to know all that he could tell, but I had to first show the maturity to deal with the knowledge.

[@Idellphany]

You must not do historical research. You don't make a film and put it on KZbin if your trying to hide it

[@EdenSophia118]

We are seen in the "his story" books as only Slaves and Civil Rights workers. Each topic is relegated to 1 and 1/2 pages here in Georgia.

[@hereisayana8207]

Also to make it seem like we were only slaves and thugs, never that we had our own towns, businesses, successful marriages

[@herrtable8882]

My god, I've lived in Knoxville all my life and am with the TN Nat. Guard, and have NEVER ever heard of this. I'm shocked and appalled to be honest. The hotel I stayed at before MEPS to enter the Guard is right where the machine gunners set up.

[@craigbrowning9448]

Lillian Gish's performance in D. W. Griffith's Birth Of A Nation was probably still fresh in their minds. Woodrow Wilson endorsed the film.

[@pissshit9001]

He chose to have “The Birth of Nation” played in the White House knowing that it would the first film ever screened in the White House.

[@cenote100]

What was fresh in your mind is that they were 32 cities in that year alone experiencing racial aggression . Called The red Summer

[@craigcook6233]

This should be taught in schools

[@CosmicConversations777]

But he was half white. I just don’t understand. I’m from The Northeast. We are not taught any of this. I only know what I research myself. I was researching Emmett Till and ended up here. It all makes me feel physically sick. If more people actually knew these things they would understand where black people are coming from.

[@beyourself2444]

By American law part Indian or part black meant you were Indian and black

[@racheledmonds5796]

I live in Knoxville and go to UTK and had no idea about any of this

[@mzleelee1983]

How does this make you feel after knowing now ?

[@waltercole5024]

Again I turned my attention to all the acts of oppression that go on under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and there was no one to comfort them. And their oppressors had the power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I congratulated the dead who had already died rather than the living who were still alive. 3 And better off than both of them is the one who has not yet been born, who has not seen the distressing deeds that are done under the sun. SOLOMON Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

[@hornett22]

Knoxville city leadership has a rich history of turning a blind eye to reality.

[@chelletheshyt2009]

I feel the same way the history books didn’t teach our history now in my 40’s I’m having to dig into the history of my people so I can teach my children

[@cornerof12th48]

Crazy, have lived in Knoxville 22 years and never once heard this story mentioned in school

[@caspianhall]

Of course not, why do you think

[@joshuatrotter25]

Mays was NOT guilty and his name should be cleared. The acting governor of Tennessee should apologize at the very least & clear Mays from any wrong doing. This is appalling & outrageous to think this has never happened.

[@marksimmons5839]

Eff apologies..time for monetary reparations.

[@ericnavarre4255]

If they apologize then they would have to admit that it happened. Sadly That’s not going to happen.

[@sheilapate7604]

They didn’t teach you this in school but I heard lots of stories from older people or from older families

[@vincentirick2845]

Hi All, this riot had been spread from word of mouth for years. Marshall law was declared. No pictures were taken. It was so bad my grand parents spoke of it for little. The Knoxville news sentinel ran a multi page article in the eighties. Before that you had to find really old person to tell you of it. Military was called. Bunch of people died. The man that was lynched was said to be innocent. I'm sixty. Sorry that's all I know. Thanks vince

[@amandatennent999]

Thanks Vince ♥️

[@mjohnson4568]

Hi Vince. Thank you for sharing. Just on thing...we have to stop calling these terrorist acts riots. They were hate filled massacres. Be safe.

[@tonyrobertson6328]

Martial law, not marshall

[@Moonewitch]

Oh wow. 😮😮😮

[@SelfMadeBreeeze]

Thank you Uncle Shannon Sharpe for putting me on this because I've NEVER heard of it ✊🏾

[@quashandawolfe2491]

What did Shannon say bout this

[@philly7558]

I have lived in Knoxville my entire life (45yrs) and knew anything about this. His name should be cleared, this is just so sad.

[@chrisanddorisarnold6341]

Me either, it’s really crazy. More people need to know this.

[@Smokey1981]

I live in Oak Ridge and my son goes to Clinton High school and on the wall as you walk in the main entrance is a timeline and it tells about this and the bombing of the school as well..He was taught about this but I wasn't..

[@summerwalker6521]

I’m from Knoxville Tennessee never heard about this

[@ESPNOutofBounds]

iv heard this story from Old Timers many times. This was FAR more complete. Thank you so much for putting this together.

[@mattwilliams290]

Wow, never heard about this ever. To make matters worse, I was just in Knoxville over the weekend. This is crazy.

[@mrcead]

Before KZbin, you had to hear this particular story from an elder black person, same with the Devil's Punchbowl. I heard about it when I was younger but no where near this level of detail. Oral historical tradition is part of our culture and if it wasn't, would this doc even been made?

[@HelloKitty-jz5gm]

I’ve never heard of Devil’s Punchbowl. I’m going to research that.

[@MADNEWYORKER914]

Yes, I have heard of Devil's Punch Bowl down in Mississippi.

[@BBBVVV86]

I never heard of it... This my first hearing it.

[@Hotel_WiFi]

Give it to the 'few' black men that held their ground in the face of 'mighty' ruthless mobs.

[@paulaousley6790]

What a sickening part of our History. How disgusting the way the world thought, acted and treated other human beings. Shameful.

[@QueenLove6958]

The less we are recognized as human the less there is guilt in their actions and behavior. You can't cry ignorant but for so long. Eventually all darkness is brought to the light. Take note to the brightness in the days as all truths are made aware through/from the darkness.

[@antoinetteM392]

My grandma was born Nov.8th 1919

[@TimrodRa]

My grandfather was born in 1919. His name was Nokomis

[@jamiemixxismjohnson4193]

I went to the Beck Cultural Center here in Knoxville and learned about it at Summer Camp when I was a child! Sad thing is it could easily happen again!

[@best-pro570]

Keep your amazing work

[@bwanakelvin5555]

100 years later and we have yet to learn. Shame!

[@fazered8202]

Look up TULSA MASSACRE 1921 ...

[@jeffmee9326]

we have come a long way. You can’t change Rome in one year. Read "enlightenment now"

Psycho Stacker But Rome has been around since the beginning of time and is falling as I am texting this for all to see. Jesus Christ reigns as king and all worship and praise belong to him. At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. I am giving him all praise and honor - “Now” - so I do not have to be told or forced to do it on judgement day. Be blessed and Love 💕 much.✌️🙏👏😊

[@fazered8202]

I am Asian with all this Corona virus going around... in CALIFORNIA lots of rasicts blame all Asians for this.. there's 48 countries but everyone wanna say the FIRST! CHINESE I guess alot of people didn't learn anything from school. I am Cambodian btw southeast Asians came from poverty after Ww2 and my mom and MANY OTHERS LIVES IN PROJECTS with black folks 2-5 million people died in the Khmer rouge back then slaughtered.. Love my black brothers and sisters we all need UNITY my mom and many other uncle ran from the chains swimming through rivers to get away my grandma never made it she got shot and killed by ak47 i am blessed to learning about history we need change.. it have to take all of us to protest and come together to make changes .. please share US ASIANS are not racist we love everything and everyone we have been through racism as well do research the Americans bombed Cambodia during the Vietnam war that killed my grandma @chinamac kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGKQl6Obj9mVppo

[@jeffmee9326]

@ what? Are you on drugs? Leave my dirty satan heart out of this.

[@dingusbrule5756]

We are no where near where we need to be People are so slow...in many ways

[@deloreswillis9224]

Very true!!!! SAD

[@tylerperocchi1581]

At the Knoxville police department, they teach this as local history. When I went through the academy, I almost didn’t believe it. I thought it may have been fluffed up to add to some kind of equality training. Sure enough I found out this actually happened. It’s crazy to think this was just 100 years ago.

[@estellawest2791]

I never heard if this ever until now. You know it was more than 100 black people.

[@bee.d1979]

I grew up in knox and they never taught us about this in any class including college. I never knew until this came up in my recommended. Wonder what else they conveniently left out

[@nicholelashea5026]

There is a tonnnnnnn of untold true history. It's coming to the light now.

[@maloriecoleman1749]

i’ve lived in knoxville my whole life and did not know this

[@BigRut1984]

Damn, I was born and raised in east Tennessee, I've heard of quite a few of the red summer stories. This is my first time hearing about the one in Knoxville. History is definitely repeating itself smh.

[@bigkatlaflare1222]

I'm from knoxville and I heard about a little of this. Thanks for the breakdown

[@kevindawson3030]

Literally ride thru here everyday

[@kevinkitts178]

Sounds like it's time to go to the national archives at the library in downtown Knoxville this is very interesting I'm going look further into this.

[@raiHo15]

This hits me on a personal level. Ugh.

[@jackpinesavage1628]

I will never understand how men can be biased against others, who may have different colored skin or practice a different form of faith. Both of my grandfathers were this way, one biased against black folks, the other biased against Catholics. The bias they had was not passed down to me.

[@BarbaPamino]

You weren't raised in a society that endorsed it the same way it used to. Plenty of this is still rampant across the globe today. Tribalism and stupidity are a human constant.

[@pheonixoutthe2278]

Just another case...

[@paulaousley6790]

PROBABLY HALF THE STUFF WE WHERE TAUGHT WAS A LIE . AS THIS OLD MAN TOLD ME WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, READ IT, LEARN IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO , THEN FORGET IT CAUSE MOST OF IT IS BULL CRAP.

[@damonmiles7259]

I've never hear of this, I went to Knoxville college from 1993-1997

[@marvin469]

93-97 ? Good lord those were my army yrs lol

[@prestonlamb1221]

Living in Knoxville my entire life I’ve never heard about this

[@all4one06]

UNBELIEVABLE!!!! I WASN’T TAUGHT THIS IN SCHOOL! I never heard of Red Summer until I reached adulthood. It certainly wasn’t in my school history books. Civil Rights was glazed over. As for studying Black History Month here in the Deep South; what’s Black History Month?????? In the 1970’s it wasn’t a featured highlight in my school system.

[@jeromebaker2925]

This is the same regardless of what school you attended as history books are censored by the publisher school systems. If you did a history report discussing this part of history it could get you expelled from most schools!

[@daniellecampbell8615]

Legal lynchings 😒

[@mustafamawla219]

Yea at one point it was legal as in a death sentence for all races

[@Damfinone]

I couldn’t imagine a world in which we’re all the same. I LOVE our differences!

[@RoyalCopper]

Give Thanks for this upload..I believe ive heard this story b4 yet this drives it all the way home...smgdh. And to think the damn Governor of Tenn still has not pardoned the brother of these false accusations...😡😡😡

[@ps0195]

The pardons NEED TO HAPPEN.

[@joyaustin6088]

stand up speak out shout it loud n proud mi familia

[@shonepalmer7039]

As someone who is from Knoxville, I am disgusted by this even if it was during a time of hate crime normalcy and race-driven battles. I have been searching to see if I could find Maurice Franklin Mayes' grave or if he ever even had one. I can't find anything, but I will keep searching to hopefully be able to go pay my respects for someone treated so poorly and murdered 100 years ago.

[@kevinkitts178]

From what I have found he may be in a unmarked grave on western ave across from texas ave. Not for sure but at that time the graveyard was in the county and was at the time considered a long way out of town. But I am interested in finding his grave also lived in Knoxville for years and love learning about our history. Unfortunately this part of our history was and is disappearing fast.

[@lasetlivingstin7752]

Keep us updated...

[@GOWIN8109837]

Reading these comments. Yup, 🤦‍♂️ we're doomed.

[@Idellphany]

Are we? These comments give me hope. I see people learning their own history.

[@chewygal69]

I thank you for this video because I never knew this happened. So sad.

[@LindaGail2]

This happened all over the world to dark skin/brown skin people...how evil...

[@Barbara-sy8xy]

Race discrimination is based 110% in ignorance, we are all brothers and sisters and in God’s eyes equal.

[@JG-or9ej]

That’s what my mother taught me..

[@handymanmlewis9566]

Everyone on this chat should go to Corbett report and listen to HISTORY IS WRITTEN BY THE WINNERS. It will put things in perspective for you. You'll wish you could close your eyes again. He leaves notes so you can find the info yourself

[@sac6728]

Why would they there is so many things that nobody knew about

[@benniesagittarius2865]

For political reasons

[@juan_and_only_1]

Have to take African American Studies in college or talk to some older black people (Grandparents or ect.) to learn about this. That is how I learned about the Old City area in Knoxville used to be all black businesses until it was ransacked. Also, learned about the Clinton 12 from my Granny and how my Granddad & his nephew were in Clinton fighting for her nephew to get an equal education(desegregate school). My Granny had tears in my 👀 telling me that story. The leader of the KKK or some group in Clinton was on his death bed and asked to speak to my Granddad, and some others to apologize. Then seen the documentary PBS and it was damn near word for word what my Granny said.

[@Smokey1981]

Yeah man it's crazy..I live in Oak Ridge and my son goes to Clinton High school..They apparently blew up the school back then.

[@jeffreyhodge3303]

Is this in KNOXVILLE people’s recommended or everyone’s?

[@15bnrichards]

I'm in Knoxville and it was in mine.

[@buttkid3548]

I'm in Knoxville, and it was recommended.

[@heyitshuttz3705]

Knoxville guy right here

[@amberarmstrong8174]

I'm in Knox was in mine

[@MrYogiBell]

👋🏾

[@jamardye2142]

I was born and raised in Knoxville. Never heard about this before. Wow.

[@anisednyezbanks7775]

Jamar how I seen your comment and I didn’t tell you about this been known bout this for some years. But it was never taught in history class here.

[@noreenphillips4944]

Hidden cruelty

[@h1ll13illy2]

damn ive lived in Knoxville all my life and never heard this story

[@Imissyoulou]

Mays, looked just like his father, McMillian.

[@bethbartlett5692]

To hear 2 intelligent and Higher Minded individuals tell this story is an odd feeling of refreshing and tragic. There's such Fostering of the Lower Mind and reactionary content at present, "I just yave to appreciate a History Telling with Ethics." Appreciate this ...