IV 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 917 
Condemning the atrocities that occurred in Forsyth County, Georgia, in 
1912 in which over 1,100 Black Americans were terrorized and driven 
out by white supremacist mobs, including dozens of Black Americans 
who owned land in the county, and reaffirming the House of Representa-
tives’ commitment to combating white supremacy, hatred, and injustice. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 9, 2022 
Ms. BOURDEAUX (for herself, Ms. WILLIAMS of Georgia, Mrs. MCBATH, Mr. 
DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, and Mr. JOHNSON of 
Georgia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Condemning the atrocities that occurred in Forsyth County, 
Georgia, in 1912 in which over 1,100 Black Americans 
were terrorized and driven out by white supremacist 
mobs, including dozens of Black Americans who owned 
land in the county, and reaffirming the House of Rep-
resentatives’ commitment to combating white supremacy, 
hatred, and injustice. 
Whereas until 1912, Forsyth County, Georgia, was home to 
over 1,100 Black residents, at least 58 of whom owned 
land in the county; 
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•HRES 917 IH 
Whereas in 1912, a White woman named Ellen Grice accused 
two Black men, Toney Howell and Isaiah Pirkle, of at-
tempting to rape her; 
Whereas, that same month, an 18-year old White woman 
named Mae Crow was murdered in a crime that remains 
unsolved in Forsyth County, Georgia; 
Whereas Rob Edwards, Ernest Knox, and Oscar Daniel, 
Black residents living in the area, were immediately ac-
cused of Mae Crow’s murder, without due process; 
Whereas Ernest Knox was coerced by a prominent resident 
of the area into confessing the crime and implicating the 
others; 
Whereas Rob Edwards was forcibly removed from his jail cell 
and lynched in the town square of Cumming, Georgia, 
and Oscar Daniel and Ernest Knox were denied due 
process, convicted in a one-day trial, and publicly hanged 
shortly thereafter; 
Whereas White men on horseback referred to as ‘‘night rid-
ers’’ rode throughout Forsyth County, terrorizing fami-
lies and burning Black churches and businesses; 
Whereas following these events, nearly the entire Black popu-
lation of Forsyth County was driven out, and the county 
continued to have little to no Black residents for nearly 
a century; 
Whereas at least 58 Black landowners in Forsyth County had 
their property taken from them without just compensa-
tion, or were forced to sell their land under threat of 
lynching, arson, and mob attack; 
Whereas many poor Black residents were driven from their 
homes and sought refuge in cities hundreds of miles 
away; 
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•HRES 917 IH 
Whereas the story of Forsyth County is only one of many 
such atrocities and horrific incidents, and shows the last-
ing impact of white supremacy in our Nation; and 
Whereas the theft of property from Black landowners as well 
as the displacement caused by the terrorizing of the 
Black community in Forsyth County shows how historic 
racism and injustice has significantly contributed to per-
sistent wealth inequality between Black and White Amer-
icans in the United States: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) condemns the actions of the white suprema-
cist mobs that drove out nearly the entire Black 
population of Forsyth County and the lynchings of 
Rob Edwards, Oscar Daniel, and Ernest Knox; 
(2) honors the memory of the victims, and ac-
knowledges the lasting impact that this incident has 
had on the Black community of North Georgia; 
(3) expresses support for the designation of a 
national day of remembrance for the victims of 
forced migrations of Black Americans throughout 
our Nation’s history; and 
(4) reaffirms the commitment of the United 
States Federal Government to combat white suprem-
acy, and seek justice and reconciliation for the mis-
takes of its past, present, and future. 
Æ 
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