For Release: Feb. 23, 2023

Tyler, TX - This Black History Month, “We Remember Tyler” begins its work toward the placement of a lynching memorial by donating a physical, original visual proof of a local lynching to the Smith County Historical Society. Twenty years ago, while exploring the basement of an old building in downtown Tyler, our ad hoc group member stumbled upon a photo negative of the James Hodge lynching, whose murder occurred in 1909 on the grounds of the new courthouse then under construction. He kept it for posterity's sake. Years later, when this member stumbled upon our lynching remembrance project, he was compelled to give it to us.

We, in turn, happily donated the photo negative to the historical society for future generations to witness and learn. The proof is the only photo of a local lynching known to exist in Tyler. 

Our last election approved a new courthouse; construction will begin in 2024. We Remember Tyler’s main goal is to have a lynching memorial erected on the grounds of the new Smith County courthouse alongside the Confederate Heroes Memorial, the Fallen Officers Memorial, among others. A lynching memorial must be placed on the new grounds to tell important historical truths, reveal community resilience, encourage reconciliation, and provide dignity.

“We Remember Tyler promotes community awareness, education, and public reckoning around racial terror lynchings in Tyler & Smith County through partnerships with local stakeholders," said former Tyler ISD trustee & former city councilman Pastor Darryl Bowdre.  

As inter-generational and inter-racial community members, “We Remember Tyler” will tell the stories of Smith County lynchings with dignity, truth, and resilience to move toward racial reconciliation.

Selective public memory about Smith County lynchings compounds the harm of official and communal complicity in these events. It maintains the otherness of Black people who have lived in Smith County for generations. The community's suffering must be engaged, heard, recognized, and remembered before a society can recover from mass violence. Good people work toward recovery.

The communities affected by racially motivated violence and exploitation have only recently had their stories told publicly. However, the histories have always been part of the African American experience in Smith County.

We Remember Tyler seeks to activate an essential tool of atonement, truthtelling, by 1) engaging in community conversations, 2) creating ceremonies to tell the story of racial terror, and 3) providing educational materials (books, websites, etc.) so our children and our children’s children can fully understand our past. Community and interracial reconciliation can only happen if we begin by truthtelling. 

Retired educator Carolyn Davis said, "By telling these forgotten, intentionally erased, or untold stories, we can be honest about the history of racial terrorism and oppression in Smith County and understand its effects today. We can empower future generations by reckoning with the past and using its lessons." 

We hope those affected by this history will view our efforts as a chance to heal and overcome the past. To learn more, visit https://www.weremembertyler.org.