Travesty of Justice: The Tragic Lynching of Ed Johnson
In 1906, Ed Johnson was falsely accused and convicted for a crime he did not commit. Tragically, he would become a victim of vigilante violence amidst a climate of fear and racial hostility
Background
In December 1905, Racial tensions were high in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Residents were fearful as the local newspapers reported that a “black crime wave” was sweeping the city.
Between December 11 and December 23 there was a rape, an assault, and an assault and burglary. On Christmas Eve, a gambler fatally shot a Chattanooga constable, pleading self-defense. Then, on Christmas Day, eight more robberies or assaults were committed by black suspects against white victims.
The newspapers seized on the sudden wave of violence to both sell copies and exploit the fears and prejudices of some of the city’s white residents. Sadly, it was in this climate of hostility that an innocent man named Ed Johnson would become a victim of vigilante violence.
