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Lynching in America was not just an act of racial violence; it was a spectacle, a tool of terror to control and dehumanize black people. Viewing the images in Without Sanctuary and listening to Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit brings horror and sorrow. The fact that people treated lynchings as entertainment, eating and watching with their children (this is where the word Picnic came from), making postcards is Sickening! It shows how deeply white supremacy was ingrained, normalizing brutality to maintain racial hierarchy. The children who witnessed these horrors grew up with a warped sense of morality, reinforcing generational racism.

Postcards of lynchings were created because these acts weren’t considered shameful by those who carried them out; they were seen as victories in maintaining power. Whites feared the loss of dominance, economic competition, and black autonomy. Lynching never entirely disappeared; here are a few names you can google and look into: James Byrd Jr. 06/07/1998; Danye Jones 10/17/2018; Malcolm Harsch 05/31/2020; Robert L. Fuller 06/10/2020. These cases show that racial violence persists, even if it's not always labeled as lynching. These incidents, often dismissed as suicides or isolated hate crimes, reflect the same terroristic intent of past lynchings: to instill fear, assert dominance, and remind African Americans that their lives are still at risk in a country that claims to have moved past its racist history.

This reality makes Without Sanctuary even more painful because it forces us to confront that these acts were not just a part of our history; they have evolved. The same forces that justified lynchings in the past are at work today, from racially motivated murders to the systemic inequalities that disproportionately harm black communities.

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Lynching in America was not just an act of racial violence; it was a spectacle, a tool of terror to control and dehumanize black people. Viewing the images in Without Sanctuary and listening to Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit brings a deep sense of horror and sorrow. The fact that people treated lynchings as entertainment, eating and watching with their children (this is where the word Picnic came from), making postcards is Sickening! It shows how deeply white supremacy was ingrained, normalizing brutality to maintain racial hierarchy. The children who witnessed these horrors grew up with a warped sense of morality, reinforcing generational racism.

Postcards of lynchings were created because these acts weren’t considered shameful by those who carried them out; they were seen as victories in maintaining power. Whites feared the loss of dominance, economic competition, and black autonomy. Lynching never entirely disappeared; here are a few names you can google and look into: James Byrd Jr. 06/07/1998; Danye Jones 10/17/2018; Malcolm Harsch 05/31/2020; Robert L. Fuller 06/10/2020. These cases show that racial violence persists, even if it's not always labeled as lynching. These incidents, often dismissed as suicides or isolated hate crimes, reflect the same terroristic intent of past lynchings: to instill fear, assert dominance, and remind African Americans that their lives are still at risk in a country that claims to have moved past its racist history.

This reality makes Without Sanctuary even more painful because it forces us to confront that these acts were not just a part of our history; they have evolved. The same forces that justified lynchings in the past are at work today, from racially motivated murders to the systemic inequalities that disproportionately harm black communities today.

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Lynching in America in my opinion was the biggest form of terrorism. I think it is absolutely terrifying that people were allowed to do such a thing and then to make postcards of it as well. The postcards and the viewing of the lynchings was to create fear and control. This was such a dehumanizing death for people during this time, viewing these photos and watching the video was horrifying, and eye opening to something I had never heard of. The Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday stuck out to me after listening to the song and realizing just what the people in this time were seeing, watching and feeling. The song really gives off a sense of hopelessness. While we aren't lynching black people in America today, we still are in fact controlling large aspects of their lives, in a way that portrays that we aren't. From what I have gathered through the chapters, racism adapts to fit the needs of the current society and that is terrifying to me.

With the leaving of federal troops, the Southern's were left to go right back to the racism they wanted to continue. Jeff Brown's lynching for a simple accident was to terrorize the blacks and keep them within their own social class. The number of lynchings during this time was crazy to me to hear, and to hear that the government was even taking part in it instead of keeping their newfound citizens safe. The white supremacy that is discussed in these videos is horrifying and the fact it isn't widely discussed presently what happened to all these poor souls.

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The materials on lynching were extremely disturbing and difficult to process but very necessary. Learning about the almost festival-like attitudes around these events was unsettling. The fact that people of all ages treated lynching as entertainment, including taking pictures and making postcards. These two factors show how deeply engrained white supremacy was in American society. The normalcy of such brutal acts of violence is horrifying.

The existence of these postcards was not just souvenirs but a form of propaganda, reinforcing white dominance. These postcards were meant to send a clear message, and that was that white people held complete control over black lives, and anyone who would challenge them or even be rumored to challenge them would be met with violence. The fact that children were in attendance shows that white supremacy was passed down to younger generations.

The song "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday is one of the most unsettling pieces of music I have ever heard. Lyrics such as "Black bodies swinging in the Southern breeze
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees" paints a graphic picture of the reality of several black victims. This imagery is very brutal but necessary.

While public lynchings may no longer happen, their legacy still exists, and lynchings of black people happen more often than we think. Along with this, the criminal justice system disproportionately targets African Americans. Lynching wasn't about killing an individual; it was about sending a message to the Black community. The past may look different from the present, but this doesn't mean that it is actually different. Modern-day racism exists in different ways that affect Black Americans all over the world.

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The Pictures that were shown of people benign lynched were discusting. It saddens me that it Wasn't that long ago. Every postcard broke my heart. For example The postcard of Clyde Johnson that took place in 1935 in California. Was surreal because my grandfather was only 3 years from being born when it took place. I believe seeing these postcards and videos are very important because some times people look at racial discrimination  and lynching as very old but we are not even 100 years removed from this. Another thing that broke my heart was how people thought it was cool to take pictures and sell them for 5 cents. These pictures also make me mad because I hate to see the injustice my people dealt with. Also it gets me mad because everything was so stupid like we can all live and coexist without issues. I believe these postcards were made to brag and keep other black folks scared from getting the rights they rightfully deserved . White people were scared of black people enriching themselves in any way so they did everything in their power to keep African Americans down. It hurts to see how a human benign life can mean nothing. This injustice should not be silenced anywhere this is history and we have to see the evil that ran rampant in this country. I don't want this information and pictures to be hidden. While some others pay homage to the flag in some way. I also believe history has to be taught and learned so it doesn't repeat itself.  The Billie Holiday song is such a strong and powerful song because they were hanging like pieces of fruit.

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Reading through the postcards that have been published, publicly, has been eye opening to say the least. I thought I was pretty up to date on the history of racial issues in our nation, but reading through the atrocious behavior of America has been extremely humbling. The video "Terror Lynching in America" states that Equal Justice Initiative has documented thousands of racial terror lynchings between 1877 and 1950; however, some of the postcards that had been displayed on the Without Sanctuary website date as far back as 1870.

The message that I get from the lynching postcards are that white people were afraid that blacks would become equal and/or more powerful. They also were angry that the same people who were recently considered their (the white's) property were now free citizens.

Lynching impacted and reinforced thought patterns of white supremacy within children because they were encouraged to watch the lynching, they were told it was the "right" thing through the actions of the adults whom they were to look up to and follow.

The song "Strange Fruit" was not about fruit, but about symbolic fruit of the black bodies that were lynched, hanging and swinging from trees. Billie Holiday made a symbolic connection to show how horrible the actions of lynching were.

Unfortunately, the past bears a lot of weight in present day. Especially, like the video "Terror Lynching in America" states, back then letters and notes were left to intimidate black people, but now the same idea is used through email messages, even text messages (as seen in 2024 after the election and mass racist text messages went out across the nation somehow).

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I think it is very important to study the history of lynching in America because this event shows the very brutal violence and injustice that black people faced. Lynching was not just a way to hurt innocent people, it was used to intimidate and control black people, spreading the normalization of violence and racism. It is very important for people to learn about the pain and humiliation that black people experienced and learn how to make sure that such hatred and injustice never exists in modern society again.

What shocks me most is that people took pictures, made postcards and even sold souvenirs of these horrible acts. For white people, lynching was a holiday and everyone willingly came to watch the public execution of black people and even brought their children with them. This shows how deeply racism was accepted in society at that time and how people did not care about the feelings and suffering of others. The images in Without Sanctuary and the lyrics to Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday really bring this dark history to life. They make you feel the utter horror and deep sadness of how people were treated for the color of their skin.

Postcards of lynchings were made to spread fear among black people and popularize these acts among white people. This shows how normalized and accepted violence against black people was, reinforcing white supremacy. White people were afraid of losing their power and control. They saw black progress as a threat to their status and used lynchings as a way to maintain their dominance. When white children saw lynchings, they learned that violence and racism were normal and it was okay to treat people poorly if they were different. This helped pass on racist beliefs from generation to generation, maintaining white supremacy in society.

The song Strange Fruit is about lynchings in America. It uses strange fruits to describe black bodies hanging from trees, highlighting the brutal and unjust killings of black people. Billie Holiday chose to sing about lynching to draw attention to the injustice and violence that black communities faced. It was a brave act of protest, using music to raise a socially sensitive issue that many wanted to ignore. Her performance gave a voice to those affected by these events and helped start conversations about racism and human rights. The song makes me think about how art and music can be powerful tools for change. It also shows how important it is to speak out against injustice, even when it is difficult.

Even though lynching is no longer common in the United States, the ideas and attitudes behind it still affect our society. Racism and unfair treatment of black people is still prevalent, for example through the justice system or everyday discrimination. This story reminds us that we need to continue to fight for equality and not stay silent when we see injustice.

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Learning about the history of lynching in the U.S. is crucial because it shows the immense violence and injustice that black people faced for so long. Lynching wasn’t just a violent act against individuals, it was a strategy used to control and intimidate entire communities. It reinforced the normalization of racism and violence, making it essential to understand how these acts impacted black people so that we can prevent such hatred from resurfacing today. It was shocking that lynching is how people treated it like a public spectacle. Photos, postcards, and even souvenirs were made from these horrific acts. Some white people would actually bring their children to watch these executions, which is terrifying and gross. This kind of behavior shows just how deeply racism was woven into society at the time, and how indifferent people were to the suffering of others. The haunting images in Without Sanctuary and the powerful lyrics of Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday help us feel the painful reality of how people were treated because of their skin color. Lynching was used to create fear in black communities and normalize the violence against them. It was all about maintaining "white dominance". For many white people, any sign of progress from black communities was seen as a threat, and lynching was a way to keep that power in check. The children who witnessed these brutal acts grew up believing that racism and violence were just a part of life. This helped ensure that these toxic beliefs were passed down through generations, maintaining the cycle of inequality.

The strange fruit song is a song that speaks directly to the horrors of lynching. By referring to the bodies of black people as "strange fruit," she emphasizes the brutal and senseless killings. Singing about this topic was a courageous protest, using music to bring attention to something that many wanted to forget or ignore. Holiday’s powerful voice helped give a platform to those affected by lynching and sparked important conversations about racism and social justice. While lynching may not be as widespread today, the mindset that supported it still affects modern society. Racism and discrimination against black people continue in various forms, whether it's through biases in the justice system or subtle everyday prejudices.

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Lynching was a tool, a form of terrorizing, instilling fear and showing a dominance of power. Aside from the postcards that were created that were made out of pride of the horrific acts of white americans. They wanted to show what they could do as a method of not only pride but as a fear tactic. White people were afraid of what or who they didn't know and saw the African Americans as a threat to their existence.

The lynchings are vividly and disturbingly described to us through Billie Holiday's song Strange Fruit. You can nearly see the bodies that hung and swung from the trees and the birds plucking at the lifeless bodies.

The children are much like any child, what they see and know is what they believe to be the correct way to be. What is instilled in children molds who they are apt to become unless a severe and dramatic change comes about. I do not feel that the children understood what was happening and why there were white supremacy groups. To question an adult especially in earlier times was a sign of disrespect and reason for the child's own punishments to be initiated. It just wasn't something children were allowed to do out of respect and fear.

Lynching is not a widely viewed issue right now as far as what is described in the song and images on postcards but it is present in a different form. Racism and acts against others that are not of the same race, culture or ethnic background are treated differently. It makes me wonder if the horrors of the past will again rear its head in the future. Will it get that bad again? It is truly a scary thing to have to think about.

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The time period of all these lynchings was really "the Black Holocaust" and how severely this time period is looked over in history and education is saddening. The amount of lynchings that took place is deeply disturbing, especially over some extraordinary circumstances. For example, Elizabeth Lawrence was murdered by lynching for scolding white children for throwing rocks at her. Which is 100 percent not a invalid reason to have murdered her. The postcards were to add onto the scare and intimidation tactic for Black Americans to fear standing up to the White Americans. As well as for the White American's to "gloat" about their murders to friends who maybe didn't live nearby to bear witness.

The children witnessing these lynching were very likely conditioned into believing these actions were acceptable and normal behaviors. Thus continuing into the racism and discrimination Black American's face today. I couldn't imagine being a child that has opposing views and doesn't want to bear witness to such horror. Children aren't born racist so I can imagine younger children's confusion in reaction to this violence.

A part that pains me a lot is that many black men that were lynched for crimes they were believed to have commit, didn't commit them at all and some were pardoned years after their murders. As well as the methods of murdering these men, even if they were guilty of the crime they were accused of. For example, Jesse Washington, who was alive while being tortured above a flame as well as getting his fingers cut off for attempting to get away. The tactics used on Black Americans were nothing short of sadistic.

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I knew that lynchings were a horrific part of history, but it didn't really click for me that it wasn't just something that happened in the past until I saw the horrifying, sickening images. The fact that people turned them into postcards let alone took photos and treated it like an event is disturbing.

It wasn’t just about violence for them, it was about making a statement, and making sure Black Americans knew their place in society. These weren’t just crimes, they were blatant terrorism meant to instill fear and keep control.

Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit makes this history impossible to ignore. The lyrics create a brutal, haunting image, and the way she sings it forces you to really sit with the reality of what lynching was. It wasn’t just a song—it was a form of resistance, a way of refusing to stay silent about something the world wanted to forget.

Even though public lynching's aren’t happening today, the intimidation and control still exist, just in different forms. The Terror Lynching in America video talked about how threats were once sent through letters, but now that sending 'letters' is as easy as typing out a message and pressing send, the same tactics happen digitally, you could go on Twitter or Facebook and still see some of the most horrifying stuff out there toward minorities without even going out of your way. It is sad that with all of the progress we have made over the years, this is all we have so far.