Harry Gilliam

Harry Gilliam, a Black man about 18 years old, was held in the Aberdeen jail in Mississippi. According to the Grenada Sentinel, a mob from Chickasaw County broke through the jail's outer door in the early morning of June 28, 1897, and held jailer Brazil at the end of a rope until he surrendered the keys. The mob took Harry from his cell, carried him about four miles west of town along the Okolona road, and hanged him from a tree. Accounts differ on the date, with some papers giving June 27.

Cause of death, as reported: Taken from custody and lynched. A mob broke into the Aberdeen jail, held the jailer at the point of a rope until he surrendered the keys, took Harry Gilliam from his cell and hanged him from a tree about four miles west of town.

Reported by: Aberdeen jailer Brazil (the agency that held him); Aberdeen newspaper report of the lynching (reporters).

Sources (8)

• The Record-Union, June 29, 1897, page 8 The Record-Union, June 29, 1897
• The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, July 2, 1897, page 2 The Pascagoula Democrat-Star, July 2, 1897
• Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, July 2, 1897, page 2 Semi-Weekly Interior Journal, July 2, 1897
• The Holly Chieftain, July 2, 1897, page 1 The Holly Chieftain, July 2, 1897
• The Nebraska Advertiser, July 2, 1897, page 2 The Nebraska Advertiser, July 2, 1897
• The Grenada Sentinel, July 3, 1897, page 6 The Grenada Sentinel, July 3, 1897
• Macon Beacon, July 3, 1897, page 1 Macon Beacon, July 3, 1897
• Western Kansas World, July 3, 1897, page 6 Western Kansas World, July 3, 1897