Wyatt Outlaw, born around 1820, was an African American community leader in Alamance County, North Carolina. As a leader of many African American activities, Outlaw was the first African American appointed to the Graham Town Council by Governor Holden, and became one of three black constables of the town.
The whites in the town weren't happy about being policed by African Americans. In 1869, they held a nighttime ride in Ku Klux Klan garb through the streets of Graham to frighten the constables. Outlaw and another constable opened fire but no injuries were reported.
This incident enraged the racists and on February 26, 1870, the Ku Klux Klan dragged Outlaw from his home and lunched him in the courthouse square in Graham.
In 1873, the Grand Jury of Alamance County brought charges against 63 Klansmen, including 18 counts of murder in connection with the lynching of Outlaw, but the charges were later dropped. No one has ever been tried for his murder.
No comments:
Post a Comment