On August 26, 1874, one of the deadliest mass lynchings in U.S. history took place in Gibson County, Tennessee.
In the early hours of the morning, a mob of 400–500 armed white men stormed the county jail in Trenton, where 16 Black men were being held after being accused of shooting at two white men in a neighboring town.
The mob, masked and mounted on horseback, confronted the jailer at gunpoint, threatening to kill him unless he handed over the keys. Once inside, they bound the men’s hands and dragged them out. Soon after, gunshots rang out across the night.
By morning, six of the men were found along Huntingdon Road—four already dead, their bodies riddled with bullets and two mortally wounded who later died without medical care. The remaining 10 victims were discovered dumped in a river a mile outside of town.
Despite the massive size of the mob, local officials claimed the murders were carried out by “unknown parties.” None of the perpetrators were ever held accountable despite meting out their own “justice” on the men without a trial. To deflect from the incident, Trenton’s mayor turned his focus toward disarming Black residents.
He immediately ordered police to seize their weapons and threatened to shoot any who resisted.
