Students from the American History classes at Stokes Early College are pursuing a research project that may have long lasting consequences for both themselves and the county. In their unit on Reconstruction and the early 20th century, they studied the work of Ida B. Wells Barnett and North Carolinian Monroe Work that examines extrajudicial executions in the United States during this period. They found that one such extrajudicial execution occurred in Stokes County in 1881 and they are petitioning the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Advisory Committee to establish a highway marker to honor the men who lost their lives to mob violence and the Deputy Sheriff who sought to protect them. They are in the final stages of researching and writing their proposal to be submitted November 1st to the NCHHMA for consideration at the December Meeting. If they are successful in their proposal, the students will establish an historical marker to honor these victims and their protector; it will be the first such marker in the history of North Carolina.
In June of 1881, Estes Hairston and Edward Lindsay were on trial for "ravaging and carnally knowing" two local white females. Both men plead innocent and asked for time to allow their witnesses to be brought to court to prove their innocence. The lawyers for Hairston and Lindsay received a continuance on their behalf in their legal trials in Stokes County so as to await the arrival of witnesses to testify on their behalf. They were held in the Stokes County Jail during the recess. The Superior Court Report is in the North Carolina State Archives; it is also here. On June 20, 150 persons dressed in masks and hoods from Walnut Cove, Danbury, and the surrounding areas rushed the jail, overpowered the jailor and broke into the cell of Hairston and Lindsay. The jailor, John B. Whitten, refused to allow the mob access the prisoners nor provide them with the keys to the cell. The mob ransacked the jail and finding no keys, they broke open the cell and put the two men on horses and carried them south. Four miles south of Danbury and less than a mile from Stokes Early College, the mob hung these two men without due process. After a report by one citizen Henry D. Martin - who had witnessed the mob and the following morning discovered the bodies - the Deputy Sheriff, the Coroner, and a jury came and took them down the following day and the Coroner issued the report. The report is in the North Carolina State Archives; it is also here.
In her letter to the Historical Marker Administrator, student Heather S. noted the following:
We would like to formally request an application to build a roadside marker to honor these men who died and the person who defended them and to draw attention to their lynching and the legacy of lynching in North Carolina. Since there are no roadside markers for lynchings in North Carolina, we would like to ask you for an application for a marker to be placed where they were lynched, so they can be honored and remembered. We hope that by placing a marker, more stories like theirs can be brought into the light. Over 100 people have been lynched in North Carolina, but not a single one has a memorial of any kind that is public. The family may remember them in their own history, but it is important for the people of North Carolina to be aware of their history as well. Lynching has become a dark part of our history, but it is a piece of history that we mustn't forget; that way, we can learn from our past mistakes and move towards a brighter future that we can be proud of. We humbly request a digital application for the marker.
The class has broken up into six teams across three classes with each team having a particular responsibility for the assignment; the teams are Research, Genealogy, Media, Community Outreach, Roadside Marker, Soil Team. The students are engaged with their research in a manner unlike a traditional classroom; they are doing real research with primary sources such as the 1880 Census, 1881 Coroner’s Report, Court documents from the time, and a host of secondary and internet resources. The “soil team” will be hoping to draw some soil from the place of the site and have it memorialized at the The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Alabama. Students in the class expressed the interest in the project: Drew N., a ninth grader, noted “You know, a lot of classes just sit around and listen to teacher’s lecture from a powerpoint. We are actually researching an event with primary sources and hope to create a permanent marker.” Bailey J. said, “Some students just study history. We are making history.
The students are completing the process of applying for the marker which is, even unto itself, a bit of a daunting task; they need to have several primary and secondary sources which detail the incident and its location. They will also have to write up a brief description of why they think the event and the people are worthy of remembrance and the students intent is to focus not just upon those who lost their lives, but those who fought to protect and preserve their memory. The application will be submitted in November to the North Carolina Highway Memorial Marker Advisory Committee which is composed of about ten scholars from around the state. The HMMAC will decide on the suitability and importance of the marker and if the committee decides to support the proposal, a permanent historical marker will be place near the intersection of Wall Loop Road and Highway 8. As Piper J., a student in the American history class stated, “We will be doing something that will bring attention to something terrible that happened in the past. If we can do so, then maybe this kind of thing will never happen again.”