As I concluded my three-year tenure as Board President of the Lynching Sites Project of Memphis last month, I am filled with gratitude and pride for all LSP has accomplished. I did not imagine serving in the office when I began attending our community meetings in January 2019. I am grateful for all that I have learned during my tenure. During this time, we hosted our first Symposium at First Congregational Church in Memphis, which featured a moving panel of descendants of the Ell Persons lynching. We established a stronger committee structure while returning to in-person community meetings after the COVID lockdown. We also formed a meaningful partnership with Barth House at the University of Memphis.
One of our most significant achievements was my testimony before congress in support of a bill to get the Ell Persons lynching site into the National Park Service. This lead to our work with Representative Steve Cohen in supporting the passage of the Evaluating Lynching Locations (ELL) for National Park Sites Act which funded a National Park Service study on lynching sites within 100 miles of Memphis, an essential step toward preserving the Ell Persons lynching site and these other historical locations. We also relocated the proposed marker for the People’s Grocery lynching victims to what we believe is the actual site of the incident, ensuring accuracy and respect in our commemorative efforts.
None of this would have been possible without the dedication and passion of our board members, staff, donors, and the broader LSP community. Thank you for your unwavering support in advancing our mission to confront history and foster healing. Together, we have laid a foundation for continued progress and remembrance.
~Rich Watkins
January 2025
