“Gathering Soil from Souls the Hangman Stole”: Kyev Tatum’s Mission to Unearth the Past.

 

“Gathering Soil from Souls the Hangman Stole”: Kyev Tatum’s Mission to Unearth the Past.

Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., is on a mission to confront the hidden horrors of history and spark meaningful conversations about justice, reconciliation, and healing. His groundbreaking project, Gathering Soil from Souls the Hangman Stole, is a deeply personal and powerful journey into the heart of Texas’ racial past. By uncovering the stories of individuals whose lives were stolen by hangings and lynchings, Tatum not only restores dignity to the victims but also provides an unflinching lens into the systemic terror that shaped the state’s history.

This isn’t just history—it’s a call to action. It’s a reminder that the shadows of the past linger in the present, and that reckoning with those shadows is the first step toward justice.

Unearthing the Stories

Before Little Rock: The Crisis at Mansfield High School (1956)

When discussing the fight for civil rights in America, Mansfield High School often gets overshadowed by Little Rock. Yet, in 1956—one year before Little Rock Central High School made headlines—Mansfield, Texas, became a battleground for school desegregation. The response from the town was chilling: three effigies were hung on Main Street, at the school’s flagpole, and at the high school entrance. These symbolic hangings, meant to intimidate and deter Black students from attending, were accompanied by mobs of armed white residents who physically blocked integration efforts.

Tatum’s research brings this pivotal moment to light, revealing the courage of the Black families who faced unrelenting hostility while fighting for their children’s right to education. The Mansfield crisis serves as a powerful example of the lengths to which segregationists would go to maintain white supremacy, and it adds a critical chapter to the story of America’s civil rights movement.

Fred Rouse: A Tragic Chapter in Fort Worth

In Fort Worth, Tatum shines a light on the 1921 lynching of Fred Rouse, a Black butcher who became a victim of racial hatred for refusing to participate in a white workers’ strike. Rouse was savagely beaten, dragged from his hospital bed, hanged from a tree, and shot multiple times by a white mob.

As part of his soil collection project, Tatum gathered soil from the site of Rouse’s lynching, preserving his memory and creating a tangible reminder of the brutality Black Texans endured. For Tatum, Fred Rouse’s story is not just a historical tragedy—it is a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for racial equity in his own hometown.

The 24th Infantry Regiment and the San Antonio Hangings

In 1917, members of the 24th Infantry Regiment, a segregated unit of Black soldiers, were stationed in San Antonio and subjected to relentless racism and brutality. When tensions boiled over into the Houston Riot of 1917, the military responded with swift and harsh punishment. Nineteen Black soldiers were court-martialed and hanged at Fort Sam Houston without the right to appeal.

Tatum’s work on this case emphasizes the systemic racism that permeated the military and wider society. By telling the stories of these soldiers, he honors their courage and highlights the injustices they faced.

The Millican Massacre and George Brooks

In 1868, during Reconstruction, George Brooks, a Black Methodist preacher in Millican, Texas, was lynched amid escalating racial violence. Accused of inciting rebellion, Brooks was hanged without trial, and his death became a symbol of the broader terror aimed at suppressing Black progress. Tatum’s meticulous research on the Millican Massacre restores dignity to Brooks’ memory and sheds light on the violent backlash against Black Texans during this tumultuous period.

Marsh Holley and the Slocum Massacre

The Slocum Massacre of 1910 is another grim chapter in Texas history, during which a white mob descended on the town of Slocum, murdering an unknown number of Black residents. Marsh Holley, a community leader, was among those lynched in the violence. Tatum’s work honors Holley’s legacy and exposes the economic and social motivations behind the massacre, revealing the lengths to which white supremacists would go to destroy Black communities.

From Shadows to Light

Through Gathering Soil from Souls the Hangman Stole, Tatum merges history with activism. Inspired by the Equal Justice Initiative, he collects soil from lynching and hanging sites across Texas. Each jar of soil represents a life lost and serves as a powerful reminder of the need for reconciliation.

The project doesn’t end with soil collection. Tatum organizes educational programs, public memorials, and traveling exhibits to ensure these stories reach every corner of the state. His work is more than a tribute—it’s a challenge to confront the past and take responsibility for shaping a better future.

About the Author: Kyev P. Tatum, Sr.

Pastor Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., is a civil rights leader, historian, and community builder with over four decades of public advocacy. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Tatum is known for his dedication to justice and his commitment to preserving under-heard stories of Black history in Texas. As the pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church and President of the Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas, Tatum has been a powerful voice for marginalized communities.

Tatum’s life has been defined by a passion for education, leadership, and service. From his early years as a student assistant to Dr. Barry B. Thompson, president of Tarleton State University, to his work as a historian and activist, Tatum has used his platform to address systemic injustices and inspire change. His initiatives, including the Texas 6888th Project and the Inner City Coffee Exchange, reflect his unwavering commitment to empowering underserved communities.

With Gathering Soil from Souls the Hangman Stole, Tatum continues his mission to confront history, honor the lives of those lost, and build a foundation for justice and healing.

A Call to Action

Gathering Soil from Souls the Hangman Stole is more than a historical project—it’s a movement. It calls on us to face the past with honesty and to build a future rooted in equity and understanding. Through his work, Kyev P. Tatum reminds us that history is not just something to be studied—it’s something to be acted upon. The stories of those who suffered must fuel our fight for justice, ensuring that their souls are not forgotten but instead become catalysts for change.