In 1923, James T. Scott, who worked as a custodian at the University of Missouri in Columbia, was accused of raping the 14-year-old daughter of a White professor at the university. He was arrested and placed in jail. Eight days later, while Scott was awaiting judicial proceedings, a mob broke into the jail, dragged Scott outside, and lynched him on a nearby bridge before a crowd estimated to be more than 2,000 people. The victim later identified another man as her attacker.
The Association for Black Graduate and Professional Students at the University of Missouri led a fundraising effort to raise money for a historical marker that was recently dedicated at the site of the lynching. The marker bears the title “Lest We Forget.”
The marker reads in part: “Let this site remind us of the injustices of our historical legacy. As we continue the fight against systems of oppression, let us reflect on how to better our community for all Columbians. The Lynching at Stewart Road Bridge reminds us of how far we have come and the work we have yet to do.”
A detailed article about the lynching of James T. Scott can be found here.
