Fred Alexander

Fred Alexander, a Black man, was held in the Leavenworth County jail in Leavenworth, Kansas, in January 1901. On January 15, a mob forced its way into the jail, took him from his cell and carried him to a spot in the city, where it chained him to a stake or iron rail and burned him. Newspaper accounts put the crowd at between 800 and 12,000 people, and he insisted he was innocent to the end. Accounts disagree on whether the sheriff refused to hand him over or gave him up after assurances that he would be protected. The Equal Justice Initiative says his mother and sisters came to the site and grieved for him.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched

Reported by: Leavenworth newspaper accounts (1901) (reporters); Equal Justice Initiative (advocates).

News reports (13)

• The Age-Herald, January 16, 1901, page 1 The Age-Herald, January 16, 1901
• Pine Bluff Daily Graphic, January 16, 1901, page 1 Pine Bluff Daily Graphic, January 16, 1901
• Daily Public Ledger, January 16, 1901, page 3 Daily Public Ledger, January 16, 1901
• Alexandria Gazette, January 16, 1901, page 2 Alexandria Gazette, January 16, 1901
• The Times, January 16, 1901, page 1 The Times, January 16, 1901
• The Bee, January 17, 1901, page 2 The Bee, January 17, 1901
• Paducah Sun, January 17, 1901, page 1 Paducah Sun, January 17, 1901
• Shenandoah Herald, January 18, 1901, page 2 Shenandoah Herald, January 18, 1901
• The Hartford Herald, January 23, 1901, page 1 The Hartford Herald, January 23, 1901
• Lexington Gazette, January 23, 1901, page 1 Lexington Gazette, January 23, 1901
• Crittenden Press, January 24, 1901, page 2 Crittenden Press, January 24, 1901
• Sharp County Record, January 25, 1901, page 4 Sharp County Record, January 25, 1901
• Community Dedicates Historical Marker in Leavenworth, Kansas Equal Justice Initiative, June 30, 2023