The Way to Right Wrongs
The National Park Service is asking for public comments on lynching sites in the Memphis region, including Brownsville, Tennessee—where Elbert Williams was killed in 1940 for organizing Black voter registration. This is more than a historical review. It is a chance for communities and descendant families to help shape how this story is remembered, preserved, and taught. For many of us, especially those with roots stretching from Tennessee to Michigan, this history is not distant. It lives in
Reenvisioning Justice
Today was a historic moment for our nation. Garry Brown, Tennessee District Attorney, announced that he has re-opened the investigation into the 1940 murder of whom some have identified as the “first martyr of the civil rights movement”, Elbert Williams. Mr. Elbert Williams was a bright, outspoken 31-year-old family-oriented man in the predominantly black community […]
Gratitude Leftovers Part I
Leslie had the seminal experience of testifying to the Tennessee Legislature on the lynching of her great grand uncle and voting rights activist Elbert Williams and its effect on subsequent generations of her family.
TRU STORY EXCLUSIVE: A Seventy Five Year Old Lie pt 2
Tru Story Exclusive: About Elbert Williams A Seventy Five Year Old Lie: Part II by Leslie McGraw Elbert Williams Historical Marker Unveiling on June 20 Photo courtesy of Sharon Hayes. Thank you for tuning into the Tru Story blog series: About Elbert Williams. Beginning in June, I began to address circumstances surrounding related to one of […]
TRU STORY EXCLUSIVE: A Seventy Five Year Old Lie pt I
Tru Story Exclusive: About Elbert Williams Elbert Williams is shown on the top row. On the bottom (l to r) are Medgar Evers, James Chaney, and Emmet Till. A Seventy Five Year Old Lie: Part I by Leslie McGraw Thank you for tuning into the Tru Story blog series: About Elbert Williams. Leading up to Independence […]