Creator1

17 March 1886 Carroll County Courthouse Carrollton, Mississippi.

Ed and Charley Brown arrived at the courthouse. The two brothers were gathered there for the trial of James Liddell. Liddell was a white man who had a dispute with the brothers previously. This dispute resulted in gunfire and injury. These men were well within their rights to press charges, and they did.

The brothers showed up the day of the trial along with several other witnesses to testify and observe. Unfortunately, a mob of men on horseback arrived. While the court proceedings began and continued inside the mob surrounded the courthouse. Once fully surrounded, they entered from all directions. They entered the courthouse and opened fire killing the Brown brothers and multiple African American witnesses.

Local and regional newspapers picked up the story, which cause a relatively strong public outcry against violence and oppression. The Governor of Mississippi, Robert Lowry suggested that the actions were provoked by the outrage and conduct of [African Americans]. Yes, how dare they appear in court?

Ultimately, twenty-three African Americans were killed in this massacre. The local authorities, nor any government agency investigated or documented this massacre. The perpetrators were never caught and no effort was made to apprehend or identify them.