Strange fruit was originally composed in protest of lynching by abel meerpol in 1937 after viewing this famous photograph the picture is a black and white window to a tragic and unforgivable event. James cameron ran the milwaukee black holocaust museum from 1988 until his death in 2006. Klan in her family roots led to probe of lynching sfgate. James cameron legacy foundation, released a new, expanded edition of dr. Milwaukee a milwaukee man who survived a lynching when he was 16 was memorialized on monday, feb. Lynching of thomas shipp and abram smith wikipedia. Jim loewen born february 6, 1942 is an american sociologist, historian, and author, best known for his 1995 book. One black history professor applauded cameron, who wrote a book describing his lynching titled a time of terror, and gives speeches aimed at counteracting presentday klan activities, for. Madison has provided us with a book about an incident that no one wants to know about a bit of ugly history that we would rather not think, much less read, about. He detailed his experience in his well written memoir, a time of terror.
Strategies of resistance from the civil war to the. Cameron was a survivor of a lynching attempt, which occurred when he was a 16yearold. James francis cameron s most popular book is the abyss. The third man, james camerons life was spared, and eventually cameron began to share his story with the world. The 1930 marion lynching and the woman who tried to prevent it. On a hot august night in 1930 a crowd gathered in front of an indiana jail men, women, and children shouting and jeering, demanding that the sheriff release his three prisoners. James cameron s retelling of his lynching is told with true artistry. In his memoir, cameron says he believes god answered his prayers. Carson cant keep up with rodney dangerfields nonstop oneliners 1974 duration. In his own book, first published in 1982, cameron wrote that as he was about to be hanged, a womans voice told the lynch mob to stop and it did. During the summer of 1930, james cameron survived a lynching. Pfeifer teaches american history at evergreen state college in olympia, washington.
Later james cameron would go on to write a book entitled, a time of terror, from which the following account was taken. James cameron founded americas black holocaust museum in milwaukee in 1988. Cameron and his lynching story have been featured in documentary films, in televised interviews with the likes of larry king and oprah, and in books by historians. On the night of the lynching, three men were in jail awaiting trial, yet only two of them were lynched. Cameron is believed to be the only person to survive a lynching. Abel meeropol saw the image many years later and wrote a poem called bitter fruit in which he described the southern tradition of lynching blacks.
James cameron in the americas black holocaust museum. There are different slants on what happened, which is understandable due to the milling confusion of an enraged mob that seems to have. The bruised and battered bodies of two young men hung from the limb of a maple tree. I met him in 1994 when i went to milwaukee to do a story on his book, a time of terror, and. In 1999 he earned a phd in humanities from the university of wisconsinmilwaukee, and hes published widely, including a 1982 book about the lynching of shipp and smith, a time of terror, that. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
My treatment centers on lynching photography, especially photos that include perpetrators and bystanders, which were often proudly circulated as postcards. Camerons story has been reported or portrayed by nightline, pbs, hbo, ebony, village voice, newsweek, the washington post, in the book lynching in the heartland by james madison, and in the book the god moment by alan d. Race and memory in america is a brilliant investigation and commentary on the heinous incident on august 7, 1930 in marion, indiana. The lynching that james cameron was able to escape took place in the town my father grew up. Cameron recounts the lynching and its aftermath in the 200page book. In 2005, james cameron spoke at a press conference held by senate members who passed a historic resolution apologizing for the bodys failure to enact federal antilynching legislation during the. The lynching that inspired billie holidays strange fruit. I had heard of white people lynching black people all of my life, he begins his book. James cameron february 25, 1914 june 11, 2006 was an american civil rights activist. Photographs and postcards of lynching in america, his website related to his published book of same name. The emotional psychology of lynching today, for my big lowerdivision class on evil enrollment 300, im teaching about southern u. A time of terror book by james cameron thriftbooks. The photo of the lynching was the inspiration for the poem strange fruit which was later put to song and popularized by billy holiday. How james cameron miraculously survived a lynching and.
Cameron, who kept a piece of the rope that had scarred his neck moments before he was spared, was the only known survivor of a lynching attempt. James cameron, a time of terror, chapter 7 the atrocity of lynching has left an indelible mark on american life. The story of james cameron, who survived a lynch mob in marion, indiana in 1930 and later established americas black holocaust museum in milwaukee. Cameron sold that 4000copy run of the book out of the trunk of his car and at speaking engagements in schools and universities around the midwest. The boys were arrested, dragged from jail by a mob, and lynched on the.
Cameron and his lynching story have been featured in documentary films, in televised interviews with the likes of larry king and oprah, and in. The true story by the third victim of this lynching in the north who missed his appointment with death. One day, sometime during your childhood or adolescence, a negro was lynched in. Notes on the photo from allens without sanctuary, includes a quote from cameron s a time of terror. The image, taken by lawrence beitler, was sold by the thousands as a keepsake of the brutal lynching of abram smith, thomas shipp, and survivor james cameron. Cameron seems to have a knack for knowing when his work is finished, when a sentence more or a sentence less would ruin the work. During the summer of 1930, civil rights activist james cameron 19142006 survived a lynching attempt at the age of 16 in grant county, indiana. Senate apologizes for not passing antilynching laws fox. A third african american male, 16yearold james cameron, had also been arrested and narrowly escaped being killed by the mob. Senate apologizes for inaction on lynchings us news. Books by james francis cameron author of james camerons.
Thousands of indianans carrying picks, bats, ax handles, crowbars, torches, and firearms attacked the grant county courthouse, determined to get. A survivors story cameron, james, kaplan, fran, loewen, james w. James francis cameron has 51 books on goodreads with 40616 ratings. An autodidact, he amassed a collection of some 15,000 books over the years. In the book, he wrote about lynching as a tragic feature of american history and culture. Cameron finally mortgaged his home in 1982 to selfpublish and distribute a time of terror. There are different slants on what happened, which is understandable due to the milling confusion of an enraged mob that seems to have quite possibly numbered in the thousands. The history of a lynching and a life survivor baltimore sun. His family moved south to birmingham, alabama, and lived there until his parents separated in 1928, after which cameron s mother moved him and his two sisters to marion, a modest town of nearly 30,000 where black and white residents attended. Jim loewen born february 6, 1942 is an american sociologist, historian, and author, best known for his 1995 book, lies my teacher told me. The photo of the lynching of two indiana teenagers would never grace the pages. Along the way he discusses james camerons attempt to memorialize the event in his.
James cameron 19142006 founded americas black holocaust museum in milwaukee, wisconsin, and published dozens of essays on american history, politics, and culture. A talented storyteller, cameron shows us the humor and horror of coming of age as a black child during the jim crow era. According to iu professor james madisons book a lynching in the heartland, someone stood on top of a car and shouted over the noise that cameron was innocent. James cameron, museum founder and lynching survivor. Despite the terrible trauma he endured in his formative years, he was a forgiving, peaceful, loving man with a playful and sometimes mischievous spirit. In 1930, james cameron was a 16yearold black boy, held in an indiana jail after the murder of a white man, and an alleged rape, when a mob led by hooded ku klux klan members stormed the prison, beat him and put a rope around his neck. The race riot that shook the nation one year after the civil war. James cameron died last sunday at 92 after years of failing health. Lynching, spartacus educational, includes an account of the origin of poemsong strange. Before they could stand trial, a mob comprised of white residents tore the young men from their cells and. Tom shipp, abe smith, and james cameron huddled inside their cells, charged. Cameron was a survivor of a lynching attempt, which occurred when he was a 16yearold suspect in a murderrobbery case in marion, indiana. Recommended resources the lynching sites project of memphis.
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