According to Wells, how did lynching begin in the American West, and why does she argue that this practice should not have continued in the South?
Wells argues that lynching changed after Reconstruction. What reasons does she give for why African Americans were lynched during this period?
How does Wells challenge the claim that lynching was primarily used to punish sexual assaults against white women? What evidence does she provide?
Wells describes lynching as a failure of the American legal system. What examples does she use to support this argument?
At the end of her speech, Wells gives several reasons Americans should oppose lynching. Identify two of those reasons and explain them.
Document 2: NAACP, “Thirty Years of Lynching in the United States, 1889 – 1918”
According to the report, how many people were lynched between 1889 and 1918? What percentage of the victims were African Americans?
Which states had the highest numbers of lynchings? What does the report suggest about where lynching was most common?
According to the report, what were the most common accusations made against African Americans who were lynched? How does this compare to the public justification for lynching?
Choose one of the individual lynching cases described in the report. Summarize what happened and explain why the NAACP included this example.
What role did local officials, law enforcement, or community members often play in the lynchings described in the report?
Part II: Comparison (10 points)
Both documents argue that lynching was more than isolated acts of violence. How does each source explain why lynching continued in the United States?
Which source do you think would have been more persuasive to Americans in the early twentieth century? Explain your answer using evidence from both documents.
Part III: Reflection (10 points)
Reflection (150–250 words)
After reading both documents, what did you find most surprising or disturbing about the history of lynching? How do these sources change or deepen your understanding of racial violence, justice, and civil rights in the United States? Use specific examples from both documents in your response