Lynching in America – The Lynching of Percy Berry

Marker Text: On April 14, 1932, a white mob terrorized and lynched a young Black man named Percy Berry near Havelock. Mr. Berry, a Craven County native, was one of eight children and earned a living as a laborer. On the night of April 14, he was fishing in Hancock Creek with a
Black companion named Benny Fisher when they were confronted by five white men. The men, posing as police officers, attempted to extort Mr. Berry and Mr. Fisher, severely beating them and threatening the pair with death unless they gave them $20, claiming it was for the right to fish there at night. When Mr. Berry tried to flee, the mob shot at him and chased him into the creek, where he drowned. His companion Mr. Fisher was able to escape, but only after giving the men the money they demanded. Mr. Berry’s body was not discovered until several days later. Local officials’ autopsy report ruled that Mr. Berry had drowned in an “accident” and made no mention of the mob attack that led to his death. However, the Associated Negro Press, an international Black news service, provided an account of the mob’s attack and revealed Mr. Berry’s body was found with a scar on his right forehead where he had been hit and had deep lacerations on his upper lip. White newspapers refused to cover Mr. Berry’s lynching, and police never launched an investigation into any of the mob members. Ultimately, no one was ever held accountable for lynching Percy Berry.