Personalizing Lynch Victims: A New Database to Support the Study of Mob Violence

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title

Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History

Publication Date

2008

Publisher

Routledge

Volume

41

Issue

1

First Page

47

Last Page

64

Abstract

The authors describe the development of a data source that facilitates the inclusion of individual victims and their characteristics in the study of lynching in the southern United States. Using an inventory of 2,800 lynch victims from 10 states between 1882 and 1930, they develop a methodological approach that allows them to locate victims in the census immediately preceding the lynching. The database will include census information on the victim and all household members. The final product will include census manuscripts, research notes, and supporting documentation used to identify each victim. The authors outline (1) steps taken to identify victims, (2) challenges encountered and solutions developed, (3) plans for publicly disseminating the database, and (4) discussion of investigations that the new database will support.

Comments

Originally published by Routledge (part of Taylor & Francis). Publisher's PDF available through remote link.
Note: Amy Bailey was affiliated with the University of Washington at time of publication.

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