Eliza Woods, a cook, was about to become famous – but not for her food. Her employer, a local white woman, was found dead with rat poison in her stomach! But what did this have to do with Woods’ fame?
Rat poison was found in Woods’ home. Infuriated white people, convinced Woods had poisoned the white woman, took matters into their own hands. They lynched Woods in full sight of the entire town, and then riddled her corpse with bullets! But Woods’ story was far from over.
The truth is that Woods DIDN’T kill her employer. The white woman’s husband admitted that HE murdered her – two years AFTER the town killed Woods. What happened after the big confession?
Wood’s death influenced Black people to take action. Famed journalist Ida B. Wells, outraged, began her anti-lynching campaign, using Woods’ case as one of the first stories to demonstrate that lynching was not limited to Black men.
Today a memorial stands in front of the Madison County, TN courthouse, where Woods’ lynching and many others took place, in her and other lynched Black people’s honor.
White vigilantes have yet to stop murdering Black people under the guise of justice. True justice would mean Black lives are respected BEFORE our loved ones are taken from us. Apologies and confessions from white people AFTER the fact are too little, too late!