EDER Members Visit Exhibit Without Sanctuary
Jon Wegienek

Early in August, members of the White Plains-based group Embracing Diversity/Ending Racism visited the exhibit Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America at the New York Historical Society in Manhattan. The unique collection of photographs and documents of James Allen and John Littlefield is the basis of this exhibit--a grim, terrible reminder of those days when black Southerners were hanged or burned at the stake by mobs that proclaimed to mete out "summary justice". Many of the pictures shown were postcard-sized, and used as such by whites who sent them to their friends and relatives with self-righteous messages. The pictures themselves frequently show not only the victim but also members of the lynch mob, ranging from a few to thousands, posing happily for the photographer. Another part of the exhibit chronicled the attempts by the NAACP and others to outlaw this barbaric practice (which never made it into federal law). Afterwards, a discussion was held among the participants and expertly led by one of the co-curators of the exhibit, Julia Hotton.

As the essayist Leon F. Litwack said, "Even as these scenes recede into the past, they should continue to tax our sense of who we are and who we have been.” Without Sanctuary is a grim reminder that a part of the American past we would prefer for various reasons to forget, we need very much to remember.  It is part of our history, part of our heritage. The lynching and terrorism carried out in the name of racial supremacy cannot be put to rest, if only because the issues they raise about the fragility of freedom and the pervasiveness of racism in American society are still very much with us."

We will long remember these haunting images and recommit ourselves to the elimination of racism in our society. We urge Westchester NOW members who want to work with us and EDER to participate in study circles and develop other grass-roots initiatives to address this issue to contact us at (914) 428-7744 or by e-mail at info@westchesternow.org.

The Without Sanctuary exhibit will re-open sometime in September for another month-long run at the New York Historical Society, 2 West 77th Street at Central Park West. The exhibit is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 AM to 5 PM, with a $5 admission charge for adults. Also see their websites at www.nyhistory.org and www.facinghistory.org.