The First Confederate Statue in Texas, and Martial Law Surrounding It
Sherman, Texas proudly displays a confederate statue but makes no mention of the martial law that was declared over the public lynching of George Hughes and the destruction of the courthouse.
In the above photo, George Hughes can be seen escorted by local law enforcement.
In 2020, Bill Magers, a judge with several DWI's that remained in office in Sherman Texas even after committing another intoxicated joy ride with an affluent business owner in the community, blocked a proposal to commemorate the public lynching of George Hughes.
The 1930 riot that led to the murder of George Hughes sparked martial law and drew in the National Guard. Black homes and businesses were destroyed after white farmers blew up the courthouse. The confederate statue in front of the courthouse was untouched, naturally.
Hughes was accused of rape and assault by family members of powerful law enforcement.
Hughes admitted to the crime of assault, but rumors spread that he had mutilated the body, and Hughes was being hidden from the people. This was untrue, however, as the alleged victim was alive. Crowds of more than 5,000 people gathered outside the courthouse in protest.
Before his trial, a mob of angry white farmers blew up the courthouse with dynamite and gasoline. Hughes was locked in a stone vault for his protection.
All that was left of the courthouse was the stone vault, where Hughes suffocated from the smoke.
The white mob dragged his body from the vault, strapped him to a car, and began dragging him through the streets. They then drove to a furniture store, which they destroyed and used the furniture as kindling to burn his body.
“I remember his body bouncing behind the car. Bouncing really is the word for it; it wasn’t sliding. Of course, as he went by, the crowd would spit and attempt to kick him and all this sort of thing”
— Ralph Elliott, a former district judge and former Sherman resident
When they finished burning him, they hung his body in a tree. I am including a link to the picture because it is graphic:
https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/objects/body-of-george-hughes-hanging-from-a-tree-sherman-texas
In the aftermath, blacks in the community hid like they were fleeing the Spetsnaz in sympathetic white homes, and sewers, and fleeing the town.
Newspaper reports said that police officers made no attempt to stop the mob, and often mingled among them. Afterward, they arrested 39 people on charges related to the riot. Only one person was ever convicted.
The local government of Sherman Texas wants to brush it all under the rug, with the only commemoration of the event being displayed as a courthouse fire. Many people in the town wave the Confederate flag, and there is a large statue in front of the town commemorating Confederate soldiers.
It was the first Confederate monument erected in the state of Texas in 1889. It reads:
“Sacred to the memory of our Confederate Dead: true patriots. They fought for home and country. For the holy principles of self government — the only true liberty. Their sublime self-sacrifices and unsurpassed valor will teach future generations the lesson of high born patriotism, of devotion to duty, of exalted courage, of Southern chivalry.”
The people above the law in Sherman don't want to admit it happened but are quick to defend their Confederate roots, and even rededicated monuments to the Confederacy in 1996.
Many people in support of the confederacy adamantly proclaim that systemic racism is a figment of the imagination, and wish to hide the truth behind what happened in their own town. They are not proud of it, at least openly, but they are proud of their southern roots. Anything that tarnishes their roots is quashed.
Despite the progress made over the years, challenges and disparities related to racial equality persist. Racial minorities continue to face disparities in education, employment, housing, criminal justice, and healthcare. Systemic racism, which refers to institutional and structural practices that disadvantage racial minorities, remains a pressing issue in many societies.
Racial inequality is not limited to any single country; it is a global issue that requires collective attention. In many parts of the world, indigenous populations and ethnic minorities face discrimination, displacement, and violence. Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach that includes policy changes, education, and public awareness.
"First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews And I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew Then they came for me And there was no one left To speak out for me"
-Martin Niemöller
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