PRESS RELEASE
(Huntsville, AL) The Madison County Remembrance Project (MCRP), in partnership with the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), will dedicate a historical marker for Robert Mosley, who was lynched in Madison County on March 21, 1890. This is the first marker commemorating racial terror violence against Black people in Huntsville.
The event was held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 2:00 PM at 5905 Higdon Road NE, Huntsville, AL 35811, at the District No. 17 Masonic Center. It honored Mosley’s memory and affirm the community’s commitment to justice and reconciliation.
There were speakers, including EJI Sr. Project Manager Jennifer Harris, and performances by singer/songwriter Victoria Jones.
Lynching in Madison County EJI documented 10 racial terror lynching victims in Madison County from 1878 to 1915. Victims were often accused of minor or fabricated offenses and were killed by mobs with little to no legal consequences.
The Mosley Lynching
Mr. Mosley was lynched after it had been reported that he committed a crime. He was pursued by a mob of more than 500 townspeople, and when they caught him, rather than having a trial by jury, they lynched him near the scene of his alleged crime and buried him in the same location. His family was forced to move on without closure, being denied access to his body and unable to bury him according to their desires. No one was held accountable.
Lynching in America
Between 1865 and 1950, nearly 6,500 racial terror lynchings occurred in the U.S., documented by EJI. These killings aimed to maintain a racial and social hierarchy.
Madison County Remembrance Project
MCRP began as a community effort to confront Madison County’s history of racial violence. It has hosted events such as soil collection ceremonies and a high school essay contest. MCRP, fiscally sponsored by United Women of Color, has also led a trip to the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery.
Community Remembrance Project and EJI
The Community Remembrance Project is part of EJI’s campaign to memorialize lynching victims through soil collection, historical markers, and educational events. This marker in Huntsville is the first in partnership with EJI and is part of a broader effort to acknowledge racial violence and its enduring impact on communities today.
