Black Land in White Hands: The Slocum Massacre of 1910.

 

Black Land in White Hands: The Slocum Massacre of 1910

The Slocum Massacre of July 29, 1910, stands as one of the most brutal and underacknowledged episodes of racial violence in Texas history. Taking place in the unincorporated town of Slocum, Anderson County, this horrific event saw the slaughter of African Americans by white mobs. While official records estimate that between eight and 22 Black residents were killed, evidence suggests the death toll could have been as high as 200.

The massacre, fueled by racial animosity and economic envy, resulted in not only the loss of Black lives but also the decimation of a thriving African American community. To this day, the Slocum Massacre remains a stark reminder of the systemic violence and injustice that shaped the American South during the early 20th century.

A Tension-Filled Prelude

In 1910, Slocum was a unique town in East Texas, with a significant African American population that included several property owners and businesspeople. This level of prosperity and autonomy was unusual for Black communities in the segregated South and likely contributed to the hostility they faced from their white neighbors.

The tension reached a breaking point when a dispute over a debt between a white man and a respected Black citizen escalated into a confrontation. Compounding this animosity, a local road construction foreman’s decision to appoint an African American to oversee labor recruitment further inflamed racial tensions. Prominent white citizens, including Jim Spurger, stoked fears of an impending “Black uprising,” spreading false rumors of violence against white residents.

The Massacre Unfolds

On July 29, white mobs from Slocum and surrounding areas began their rampage, systematically hunting down and killing African Americans. Armed with rifles and pistols, groups of six to seven men and mobs as large as 200 swept through the town, attacking Black residents in their homes, on roads, and in nearby forests. Survivors fled into the woods, only to be pursued and shot in the back.

Sheriff William H. Black of Palestine, Texas, later described the scene to reporters:

“Men were going about killing Negroes as fast as they could find them. These Negroes have done no wrong that I can discover. They hunted the Negroes down like sheep.”

Despite the sheriff’s grim account, initial newspaper reports painted African Americans as instigators, perpetuating false narratives that justified the mob’s actions. Sheriff Black admitted that it was difficult to determine the full scale of the massacre, as bodies were “scattered all over the woods” and often discovered by vultures.

A Community Erased

The aftermath of the massacre saw the Black population of Slocum virtually disappear. Survivors fled the area, leaving behind homes, businesses, and land. These properties were quickly absorbed by white residents, consolidating their economic dominance in the region.

Unlike other nearby towns, which today have African American populations of 20% or more, Slocum’s Black population remains under 7%, a stark testament to the lasting effects of the massacre.

Justice Denied

Eleven white men were arrested in connection with the massacre, and seven were indicted. However, the trials were moved to Harris County, where the cases were eventually dismissed. Not a single person was held accountable for the atrocities committed.

The lack of justice for the victims of the Slocum Massacre underscores the systemic racism that permeated the legal and political systems of the time. The state’s refusal to prosecute those responsible allowed the massacre to fade into obscurity, its memory kept alive only by descendants and a few dedicated historians.

Acknowledgment and Legacy

For decades, the Slocum Massacre remained a “dirty secret” of Texas history, absent from school curricula and historical records. This began to change in 2011, when the Texas Legislature passed House Resolution 865, formally acknowledging the massacre. In 2016, a historical marker was unveiled to commemorate the event, thanks to the efforts of descendants like Constance Hollie-Jawaid.

Rev. Kyev Tatum, Sr., president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and spokesperson for the Holley family descendants, continues to push for greater acknowledgment and justice.

“Our research suggests that at least 200 African-Americans lost their lives in the massacre, and they never received justice,” Tatum said. “It’s a sad statement in regards to where the state of Texas was then and where it is now.”

Learning from the Past

The Slocum Massacre is a painful chapter in the story of Black land dispossession in America. It exemplifies how racial violence was used to erase Black communities, steal their property, and rewrite history to suit a white supremacist narrative.

Acknowledging and commemorating events like the Slocum Massacre is essential to understanding the systemic injustices that continue to affect African American communities today. As Judge Bascom Bentley noted during the unveiling of the historical marker, “The purpose of history is to teach us how to do better in the present and future.”

The memory of the Slocum Massacre should inspire us to confront our shared history honestly, ensuring that the voices of those silenced by violence are heard and that their legacy is one of resilience and justice.