January 30, 2024. Archeologist and historian Kathy Liston examines the life and death of Joseph Holmes in her essay ‘‘Lynching a Legislator: The Joseph R. Holmes Story.‘ Born into slavery, Joe Holmes was elected at the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1867-1868, where he promoted radical reforms. He was lynched in 1869 by four white men on the steps of the Courthouse in Charlotte County, as he was on his way to lodge a complaint about one of these men.
