A lithographic print depicting the 1931 lynching of a man, Matthew Williams, in Salisbury, Maryland. Williams is hanging from a tree with a rope around his neck. He wears a bandage on his head and his body is contorted with head down, knees bent, fingers splayed and toes curled. In the background are houses and buildings, and what may be smoke from a fire rising from the lower left corner. The print is titled and signed by the artist on the front.
A section of rope (a) tethered to a handwritten note that is in two pieces (bc).The note, written by Paul Henderson, is composed of graphite on tan paper, in a faint hand at the top is [Lyncher's Rope]. The main text of the note starts [Rope "souvenir" which was used by Salisbury, Md. mob to hang Matthew Williams, 23-year-old citizen]. Secured to the bottom of the note with two pieces of twine, the rope has been soaked in oil and appears brown in color. The note has been folded in multiple places and worn at the folds. It has been repaired with tape at the top fold and the bottom portion, holds the rope, has come completely detached.
A black and white photograph of the lynched bodies of Nease Gillespie, John Gillespie and Jack Dillingham. The bodies are at the center of the photograph, hanging from ropes by their necks. Their clothes are torn and several wounds are visible on their bodies and heads. A large tree is visible on the right side of the photograph and counter-weight bags connected to the hanging ropes are visible in the background. They are surrounded by a large group of men and several children, many of which are looking at the camera. A man on the right side of the photograph has his right hand resting on the left shoulder of one of the hanging men. The photograph is adhered to gray card stock. Printed in black text beneath the photograph is “NRSM / KLUTTZ’S STUDIO, / E. Council ST., near Court House / Salisbury, N. C.” Handwritten in graphite on the back of the photograph is “Remember / Nease Gillespie - / John Gillespie / Jack Dillingham / They murdered -the - / Lyerly Family / But they got / theirs just the / same Aug 6th 1906 / at the Salisbury / courthouse was / shure [sic] a warm / time I will never / forget - that – night.”
Postcard with a black and white image of the bodies of Nease Gillespie, John Gillespie and Jack Dillingham. They are at the center of the image and are hanging from ropes by their necks. Their clothes are torn and several wounds are visible on their bodies and heads. A large tree is visible on the right side of the photograph and bags connected to the same ropes they are hanging from are visible in the background. They are surrounded by a large group of men and several children, many of which are looking at the camera. A man on the right side of the photograph has his right hand resting on the left shoulder of one of the hanging men. Printed in black text beneath the image is "Nease and John Gillespie and Jack Dillingham, murderers of Lyerly / family. Lynched August 6th, 1906. Salisbury, N. C." Printed in black text on the back of the postcard is "Post Card."