[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 917 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 917

Condemning the atrocities that occurred in Forsyth County, Georgia, in 
1912 in which over 1,100 Black Americans were terrorized and driven out 
  by white supremacist mobs, including dozens of Black Americans who 
owned land in the county, and reaffirming the House of Representatives' 
    commitment to combating white supremacy, hatred, and injustice.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 9, 2022

 Ms. Bourdeaux (for herself, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Mrs. McBath, Mr. 
   David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, and Mr. Johnson of 
Georgia) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Condemning the atrocities that occurred in Forsyth County, Georgia, in 
1912 in which over 1,100 Black Americans were terrorized and driven out 
  by white supremacist mobs, including dozens of Black Americans who 
owned land in the county, and reaffirming the House of Representatives' 
    commitment to combating white supremacy, hatred, and injustice.

Whereas until 1912, Forsyth County, Georgia, was home to over 1,100 Black 
        residents, at least 58 of whom owned land in the county;
Whereas in 1912, a White woman named Ellen Grice accused two Black men, Toney 
        Howell and Isaiah Pirkle, of attempting to rape her;
Whereas, that same month, an 18-year old White woman named Mae Crow was murdered 
        in a crime that remains unsolved in Forsyth County, Georgia;
Whereas Rob Edwards, Ernest Knox, and Oscar Daniel, Black residents living in 
        the area, were immediately accused of Mae Crow's murder, without due 
        process;
Whereas Ernest Knox was coerced by a prominent resident of the area into 
        confessing the crime and implicating the others;
Whereas Rob Edwards was forcibly removed from his jail cell and lynched in the 
        town square of Cumming, Georgia, and Oscar Daniel and Ernest Knox were 
        denied due process, convicted in a one-day trial, and publicly hanged 
        shortly thereafter;
Whereas White men on horseback referred to as ``night riders'' rode throughout 
        Forsyth County, terrorizing families and burning Black churches and 
        businesses;
Whereas following these events, nearly the entire Black population of Forsyth 
        County was driven out, and the county continued to have little to no 
        Black residents for nearly a century;
Whereas at least 58 Black landowners in Forsyth County had their property taken 
        from them without just compensation, or were forced to sell their land 
        under threat of lynching, arson, and mob attack;
Whereas many poor Black residents were driven from their homes and sought refuge 
        in cities hundreds of miles away;
Whereas the story of Forsyth County is only one of many such atrocities and 
        horrific incidents, and shows the lasting impact of white supremacy in 
        our Nation; and
Whereas the theft of property from Black landowners as well as the displacement 
        caused by the terrorizing of the Black community in Forsyth County shows 
        how historic racism and injustice has significantly contributed to 
        persistent wealth inequality between Black and White Americans in the 
        United States: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the actions of the white supremacist mobs that 
        drove out nearly the entire Black population of Forsyth County 
        and the lynchings of Rob Edwards, Oscar Daniel, and Ernest 
        Knox;
            (2) honors the memory of the victims, and acknowledges the 
        lasting impact that this incident has had on the Black 
        community of North Georgia;
            (3) expresses support for the designation of a national day 
        of remembrance for the victims of forced migrations of Black 
        Americans throughout our Nation's history; and
            (4) reaffirms the commitment of the United States Federal 
        Government to combat white supremacy, and seek justice and 
        reconciliation for the mistakes of its past, present, and 
        future.
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