Lynching in American Literature and Journalism

by Yoshinobu Hakutani (editor), Robert Butler (Contributor), Keith Byerman (Contributor)

Lynching in American Literature and Journalism consists of twelve essays investigating the history and development of writing about lynching as an American tragedy and the ugliest element of national character. According to the Tuskegee Institute, 4,743 people were lynched between 1882 and 1968 in the United States, including 3,446 African Americans and 1,297 European Americans. More than 73 percent of the lynchings in the Civil War period occurred in the Southern states. The Lynchings increased dramatically in the aftermath of the Reconstruction, after slavery had been abolished and free men gained the right to vote. The peak of lynching occurred in 1882, after Southern white Democrats had regained control of the state legislators. This book is a collection of historical and critical discussions of lynching in America that reflects the shameful, unmoral policies, and explores the topic of lynching within American history, literature, and journalism.

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 8, 2024

About the author

Yoshinobu Hakutani is a Japanese-American educator and literary scholar. He has written a number of books and papers on American and Japanese literature. Member Modern Language Association, American Literature Association, Theodore Dreiser Society (president since 1998), Richard Wright Circuit (member advisory board since 1991).

Since coming to Kent State in 1968, he has been teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in American literature, African American literature, and linguistics.