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Today in History: Teenage African-American Farmhand Lynched in Waco

5/15/2025

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Summary

Story summary

On May 15, 1916, Jesse Washington, a 17-year-old African American farmhand, was lynched in Waco, Texas. This brutal act became a notorious example of racial violence in the United States. Washington's death highlighted the pervasive racism of the era and sparked outrage, drawing national attention to the issue of lynching.

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Story summary

On May 15, 1916, Jesse Washington, a 17-year-old African American farmhand, was lynched in Waco, Texas. This brutal act became a notorious example of racial violence in the United States. Washington's death highlighted the pervasive racism of the era and sparked outrage, drawing national attention to the issue of lynching.