Victim ID: VA1880041201
Victim Name: James Black
Race: Black
Sex: Male
Age: 25
Job: Unknown
Method of Death: Hanged
Accusation: Attempted outrage of a married white woman; felonious assault on a married white woman
Date: 1880-04-12
County Name: Dinwiddie
Mob Composition: 75 Masked men
Summary: A mob of seventy-five men lynched James Black, an African American man, on April 12th, 1880 in a jail yard in Dinwiddie county. Black was accused of attempting an outrage on a white woman.
On April 3rd, 1880, James Black found Hattie A. Ferris near Ford’s Depot where he allegedly attempted outrage on her. The Staunton Spectator reported that Mrs. Ferris was searching for her cows when Mr. Black assaulted her. School girls were reportedly screaming as she defended herself with an iron belt. The outcry caused Mr. Black to flee the scene. After two days of search, a posse found Black and brought him to Mrs. Ferris, who identified Mr. Black as her assailant. According to the Staunton Spectator, when Mr. Black was arrested, he pleaded guilty to his crime. On April 12th, seventy-five men broke into the jail, overpowered the jailer in charge and took Mr. Black to a jail yard and hung him. The body was taken down by his friends and buried at his family’s home.
A special grand jury was summoned at the Dinwiddie County Court on April 19th, 1880, to inquire into the lynching of James Black. After hearing several witnesses, the grand jury could not identify any of the lynchers (Norfolk Virginian).
News Coverage: Bristol News, Daily Dispatch, Norfolk Virginian, Staunton Spectator
Article Link (from Bristol News published on 1880-04-20)
Article Link (from The Daily Dispatch published on 1880-04-07)
Article Link (from The Daily Dispatch published on 1880-04-13)
Article Link (from The Daily Dispatch published on 1880-04-28)
Article Link (from The Daily Dispatch published on 1880-05-11)
Article Link (from Staunton Spectator published on 1880-04-13)
Article Link (from Staunton Spectator published on 1880-04-20)