Luther Holbert facts for kids

Luther Holbert (born around 1852 – died February 7, 1904) was an African American man. He was killed by a group of people in Doddsville, Mississippi. This happened on Sunday, February 7, 1904. He had been accused of a very serious crime. An African American woman who was with Holbert was also killed. Six other people also died during the search for Holbert and the woman.

Early Life and Family

Luther Holbert was born in 1852. At that time, he was born into slavery in Mississippi. He became free after the American Civil War ended in 1865.

In 1884, he married a woman named Annie. They had four children together. Holbert also had another child with a different woman.

What Happened

On Wednesday, February 3, 1904, a rich white landowner named James Eastland went to find Holbert. He wanted Holbert to leave his farm. During their meeting, three men died. It was said that Holbert shot Eastland and an African American man named John Carr. Eastland then shot and killed a Black man named John Winters.

Other people said that Eastland had attacked Holbert. This was because Holbert encouraged other Black workers to leave. These workers were in a difficult situation where they owed money and had to work to pay it off.

News of these events quickly reached the town. A group of people, called a posse, was formed to find Holbert. Eastland's family offered a large reward of $1,200. This would be about $37,000 today. The posse came to the Eastland farm and killed another Black man.

Holbert and a Black woman had already run away. Several groups with bloodhounds were formed to track them. On February 4, 1904, one of these groups killed two more Black men. These men were simply in the path of the search party.

On February 5, 1904, Holbert's 16-year-old son was taken in for questioning. He was suspected of being involved. However, he was later released.

Finally, on Sunday, February 7, 1904, a search group found Holbert and the woman. They had walked about 100 miles through swamps and thick forests. They were found early in the morning, sleeping in a wooded area near Shepardstown.

The Aftermath

C.C. Eastland was arrested for the deaths of Holbert and the woman. The case went to court on September 22, 1904. Eastland's lawyer asked the judge to drop all the charges. The judge agreed and Eastland was set free.

Reports said that a large crowd cheered this decision. No one was ever held responsible for the deaths of Luther Holbert and the woman.

Remembering Luther Holbert

In November 1904, Woods Caperton Eastland, one of the brothers who led the search group, had a son. He was named James Eastland to honor his uncle. This James Eastland later became a U.S. Senator. He was a strong leader against racial integration during the Civil Rights Movement. He often spoke about African Americans as "an inferior race."

In 2018, the tragic death of Luther Holbert was recognized. This happened at Alabama's National Memorial for Peace and Justice. This memorial remembers victims of racial violence.