Carolyn Bourdeaux: “In the fall of 1912, Forsyth County, in my district was the site of an appalling racial cleansing. Following the death…”

“In the fall of 1912, Forsyth County, in my district was the site of an appalling racial cleansing. Following the death of a White woman named Mae Crow, three Black men, Rob Edwards, Ernest Knox, and Oscar Daniel, were accused of her murder and lynched without due process. Following this, White men on horseback dubbed ``night riders'' rode throughout Forsyth County terrorizing families and burning Black churches, homes, and businesses, ultimately driving out over 1,100 Black residents. Forsyth County continued to have little to no Black residents for almost a century. Today, I am introducing a resolution condemning the lynchings of Rob Edwards, Oscar Daniel, and Ernest Knox in 1912 and condemning the actions of the white supremacist mobs which forced out nearly the entire Black population of Forsyth County. It is particularly important during Black History Month that we as a Nation acknowledge horrific events such as this one and honor the memory of the victims of these tragedies. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution and reaffirm this body's commitment to fighting white supremacy and seeking justice to right the wrongs of our past. ____________________”