Last Recorded Lynching in Mobile, Alabama

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In 1981, two members of the Ku Klux Klan conducted the last recorded lynching in Mobile, Alabama, killing 19-year-old Michael Donald. This tragic incident marked the end of a dark chapter in the city's history, as the civil rights movement and legal reforms had largely curbed the prevalence of such racially motivated violence by that time.

Why it matters

The lynching of Michael Donald was a stark reminder of the persistent racial tensions and violence that plagued the South, even decades after the civil rights movement. This event highlighted the need for continued vigilance and progress in addressing systemic racism and promoting equality.

The details

On March 21, 1981, two Ku Klux Klan members, Henry Hays and James Knowles, abducted Michael Donald, a 19-year-old African American, from a street in Mobile. They beat him, cut his throat, and hung his body from a tree. This was the last known lynching in the United States, marking the end of a dark chapter in the country's history.

• The lynching of Michael Donald occurred on March 21, 1981 in Mobile, Alabama.