Rope used to lynch Matthew Williams
date: label: Date
content: December 1931
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
label: Subject of
content: Matthew Williams, 1908 -1931
label: Owned by
content: Paul Henderson, American, 1899 - 1988
notes: label: Description
content: A section of rope (a) tethered to a handwritten note that is in two pieces (bc).The note, written by Paul Henderson, is composed of graphite on tan paper, in a faint hand at the top is [Lyncher's Rope]. The main text of the note starts [Rope "souvenir" which was used by Salisbury, Md. mob to hang Matthew Williams, 23-year-old citizen]. Secured to the bottom of the note with two pieces of twine, the rope has been soaked in oil and appears brown in color. The note has been folded in multiple places and worn at the folds. It has been repaired with tape at the top fold and the bottom portion, holds the rope, has come completely detached.
place: label: Place depicted
content: Salisbury, Wicomico County, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Hate crimes
label: Topic
content: Local and regional
label: Topic
content: Lynching
label: Topic
content: Race discrimination
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1919-1933
label: Topic
content: Violence
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
label: Classification
content: Weapons and Ammunition
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of The Estate of Paul S. Henderson
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2013.50abc
objectType: label: Type
content: weapons
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Public Domain
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: rope and oil with lead on paper
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 12 x 9 in. (30.5 x 22.9 cm)