Historic marker unveiled for William Bradford lynching
Mar. 2—Members of the Newton County MS Coalition and Equal Justice Initiative gathered at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Hickory on Saturday, Feb. 24, to dedicate a remembrance marker for William Bradford, who was lynched by a white mob in the Hickory area on June 16, 1911.
Bradford, who worked at a lumber company in Chunky, was involved in an argument with two white men over a watering trough and was beaten with an iron pipe when he tried to defend himself. After fleeing the area, he was later arrested by law enforcement some 14 miles away. A mob of at least 50 white men intercepted Bradford on the way to jail, lynched him and left his body hanging by the side of the road.
Darrell Fielder, a member of the Newton County MS Coalition, said it is crucial that communities recognize the racism and atrocities committed in the past so they can grow beyond their mistakes.
"We can't hope to forge a brighter and more inclusive future unless and until we face the pain of our past," he said. "And yes, this past includes radicalized violence and lynchings."
