"Lynchings by States and Counties in the United States, 1900-1931," ca. 1931

This 1931 map, based on data collected by the Tuskegee Institute, depicted lynchings per county throughout the entire United States between 1900-1931. In the bottom left-hand corner of the map a table can be found that compares lynchings by state.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Lynchings by states and counties in the United States, 1900-1931 : (data from Research Department, Tuskegee Institute) ; cleartype county outline map of the United States," ca. 1931

Description

This 1931 map, based on data collected by the Tuskegee Institute, depicted lynchings per county throughout the entire United States between 1900 and 1931. In the bottom left-hand corner of the map, a table can be found that compares lynchings by state.

Transcript of "Lynchings by States and Counties in the United States" Map

Source-Dependent Questions

Where were lynchings most common? Where were they least common? What other trends do you notice?
Is it fair to suggest lynching was a national problem at the time? Explain using data from the map.
How many lynchings occurred in Iowa between 1900-1931? Where did they occur? How does the number of lynchings in Iowa compare to other upper midwestern states?
Given that this map was created in 1931, forty-four years after the Compromise of 1877, how can the data presented in it help you determine whether or not Reconstruction was a success?

Citation Information

"Lynchings by states and counties in the United States, 1900-1931 : (data from Research Department, Tuskegee Institute) ; cleartype county outline map of the United States," ca. 1931. Courtesy of Library of Congress