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Red Record Ida B Wells cover smaller

The Red Record Book by Ida B. Wells

Posted on April 3, 2021June 17, 2022 by Contributing Writer

The Red Record is authored by Ida B. Wells-Barnett. First published in 1895, the full title of the book is – The Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the United States. In the book, Ida B. Wells details not only lynching, but the struggles of blacks in the United States. The book also features a Preface which is a letter written by Frederick Douglass. In his letter regarding lynching, he states if America were only half Christianized, the scream of horror, shame, and indignation would rise to Heaven. The Red Record book is a naked and blunt reality about the horrors of lynching.

In the book, Ms. Wells relays specific accounts of some of the victims of the Lynch Law. Accounts told by white men who were the recorders of the lynching through newspapers and law enforcement records. In addition, explains to readers the intent and purpose of lynching. She describes how during slavery, the white man owned the Negro body and soul. Furthermore, how his intention was to dwarf the Negro mind and retain the body because of the financial interest. Once blacks were freed from slavery, there was no longer the need to retain the Negro body for personal financial wealth. A slave was invaluable. A freed Negro life was worthless.

The Red Record details statistics of lynching and the supposed reasons for the lynching in the year of 1893. For example, one victim was lynched for attempted assault. Unbelievably, five victims across the south were lynched for Race Prejudice. Additionally, four people possibly who were possibly related were lynched on the same day in Lynchburg, VA for Alleged Barn Burning. The most barbaric of all, four victims were lynched for no offense at all. She also includes the stories of a few killings, including an account of a lynching by white Christians in Paris, Texas.

The book also details and disputes the three popular excuses white men give to justify the lynching and killing of black people. The first excuse was to “stamp out” race riots. The second excuse was to stop the Negro vote, keep the government white, and prevent Negro domination. The third excuse was to prevent Negro from assaults upon white women. For the justification of lynching for “rape” or “assault” were in actuality consensual relationships between white women and black men.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett did the world and the black community a service by writing this book. The book was an appeal to compassion and reason to end the practice of lynching. The Red Record is still relevant and an important read in the 21st century. Culture Blurb thanks Ida B. Wells for authoring this book. The book is eye-opening and provides a mirror into the past of the unjust and racist killings of black men and women.

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