Searching through America’s past for the last 25 years, collector James Allen uncovered an extraordinary visual legacy: photographs and postcards taken as souvenirs at lynchings throughout America. With essays by Hilton Als, Leon Litwack, Congressman John Lewis and James Allen, these photographs have been published as a book “Without Sanctuary” by Twin Palms Publishers . Features will be added to this site over time and it will evolve into an educational tool. Please be aware before entering the site that much of the material is very disturbing. We welcome your comments and input through the forum section.
Experience the images as a flash movie with narrative comments by James Allen, or as a gallery of photos which will grow to over 100 photos in coming weeks. Participate in a forum about the images, and contact us if you know of other similar postcards and photographs.
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© 2000-2005 Collection of James Allen and John Littlefield
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The corpse of Clyde Johnson. August 3, 1935 . Yreka, California. Gelatin silver print. Real photo postcard. 3.1/2 x 5 3/8 in. Etched in the negative, “Killer of Jack Daw Aug 3, 1935 vengence in Siskiyou County.”
At the funeral of Dunsmuir, Oregon’s Chief of Police, F. R. Daw, a number of mourners planned the lynching of his alleged murderer, Clyde Johnson. Early on the morning of August 3, 1935, the masked mob, estimated as large as fifty, forcibly removed Johnson from his jail cell and dragged him three miles south of town where they hung him from a pine tree. Local and state officials expressed mixed reaction to news of the lynching.
District Attorney James Davis declared that he would open an investigation and “do everything the law requires to apprehend members of the mob.” On the other hand, the California Attorney General, referring to the recently delayed execution of an accused murderer, stated that the “uncontrollable unrest” was a natural result of the “apathy of the Supreme Court of the United States.”
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Unidentified corpse of African American male. Gallows, courthouse-jail, and windmill in background. Nine onlookers, two young boys. 1900-1915. Location unknown. Gelatin silver print. Real photo postcard. 3 x 5 in. The architectural details of the courthouse in the background suggest a Texas origin. Found in Texas.
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Unidentified corpse of African American male. 1900-1915, Trenton, Georgia. Gelatin silver print. Real photo postcard. 3 x 5 in. A pencil inscription on the reverse reads, “Dade County Trenton, Georgia.” Purchased in Georgia.
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Bennie Simmons, alive, soaked in coal oil before being set on fire. June 13, 1913. Anadarko, Oklahoma. Gelatin silver print. Real photo postcard. 31/4 x 5 in. Itched into negative, “Edies Photo Anadarko Oklo”.
Bennie Simmons, or Dennis Simmons, accused of the murder of sixteen-year old Susie Church, was taken from prison guards in Anadarko, Oklahoma. His killers led him to a nearby bridge and hanged him from the limb of a cottonwood tree flourishing by a stream. ”
The Negro prayed and shrieked in agony as the flames reached his flesh,” reported a local newspaper, “but his cries were drowned out by yells and jeers of the mob.” As Simmons began to lose consciousness the mob fired at the body, cutting it to pieces. ” The mobsters made no attempt to conceal their identity,” remarked the Enfaula Democrat, “but there were no prosecutions.” Purchased in Oklahoma.
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The corpses of George and Ed Silsbee. January 20, 1900. Fort Scott, Kansas. A large group of spectators holding kerosene lamps, downed fence in foreground. Gelatin silver print. Cabinet card. 7 x 10 in.
Etched in negative, “George and Ed SILSBEE HANGED by a MOB of CITIZENS IN FRONT OF JAIL. Jan. 20, 1900. Fort Scott Kan. Flash Light by Dabbs”
Sticker on reverse side of postcard:
J.V. DABBS PHOTOGRAPHER GROUND FLOOR STUDIO, Frames and Mouldings, 407 Market Street. FORT SCOTT, KANSAS.
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View the full collection here on Without Sanctuary
Whosane Blog 
Daja
September 14, 2008 at 12:17 am
Dear Allen,
Daja
September 14, 2008 at 1:42 am
Dear Allen,
To see your presentation of the horror and humiliation of these human beings is not just disturbing but, devistating and a discrace to man and god. Although some people will see these images as a superior oversite to racial relations, the truth will exalt itself above all personal beliefs and individual veiws on life. But to achieve this goal we have to come to understand our past and future and not look at others any differently because, we All have come short of the glory of god, only one is perfect (Jesus) but, everybody is equal, no matter what color skin you have, or eye color or maybe even beliefs. To judge others is to judge yourself. So, if we consider the penalties of any crime to ourselfs the sentence will should never be murder. So to”Take a walk in my shoes” would ultimatly lead you to Save yourself! Now Suicide is the unforgivable sin so, to justify killing another is to kill a part of our spiritual self!!!!!! Which leads to Hell.
Furthermore to repent is to save others from the First death and youself from the second death, which is seperation from God himself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kenneth & Daja Brown
P.S. My neice and I thank you for your concern in bringing peace and attention to this subject.
put
November 29, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Take a look at these photos from South Africa and they’re happening now. Talk about no evolution.
You’re a propagandist freak.
http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=farm%20murders&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi
Gary Steffen
August 9, 2010 at 5:39 pm
While doing research on violence in the U.S. I viewed the ‘Without Sanctuary’ website. I have been a police officer for 28 years and thought I had seen a lot of violence, well, it was nothing like these photos and postcards. I am also a white male, and even though my gggrandfather died fighting against the South, I am ashamed that we were (and are) capable of such horrific, heartless, and cruel violence. I can only pray that I would have the courage to stop such violence if faced with it. I also beg the forgivness of blacks who have suffered for so long. God forgive us.
ad woods
August 17, 2010 at 1:17 am
Dabbs had his name on several mob lynchings photos that he took in several differant states.How did he know when A mob lynching was going to take place. His business was in the town of Fort Scott, Kansas. Something to think about.
Matthew Anderson
November 6, 2010 at 12:35 am
My father, Matthew Anderson, was the only African-American on the team that created the first electronic computing device in 1953 at Remington Rand in Minneapolis. He was also a member of the team that saw Chuck Yeager break the sound barrier in 1947. My mother, Katye Belle Oliver-Anderson was acknowledged by United Nations Secretary-General Boutros-Boutros Ghali, along with the Netherlands, France and Germany for her work with children’s learning worldwide. I was 3M Company’s first ever African-American computer products sales engineer and my other three siblings tout equivalent resumes to include the Miss Denver honor. I will never forget Emmett Till and I will forever wonder at those who extol god to bless America.
Marti
December 18, 2010 at 7:14 pm
The Silbee brothers were white. Out of “respect” their bodies were cut down the next morning, a courtesy not given to black bodies. Black bodies were left swinging for vandals and animals.