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((short description|African American who was lynched in the U.S.))

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'''Matthew Williams''' (February 8, 1908–December 4, 1931) was a black man  [[Lynching|lynched]] by a white mob in [[Salisbury, Maryland]] on December 4, 1931.<ref name="msa">((cite web |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc3500/sc3520/013700/013749/html/13749bio.html |title=Matthew Williams (1908-1931) ''Biographical Series''; Lynched in Salisbury, December 4, 1931|author=<!--Not stated--> |date= 8 March 2012|website= Archives of Maryland, MSA SC 3520-13749|publisher= Maryland State Government|access-date= 8 September 2018))</ref>

== Life of Matthew Williams ==
Born to Harry Williams and Annie Hardy on February 8, 1908, in Norfolk, [[Virginia]], Matthew Williams lost both his parents only a few years later. His mother died of pneumonia in 1912, and his father died in 1915. Williams and his elder sister, Olivia, were then sent to live with their maternal grandmother, Mary Handy, in Salisbury, Maryland.

Williams attended school until he was fourteen, when his grandmother died. He took a job at the Elliot Box and Crate Factory and was known for keeping to himself and making an impressive amount of money for a black laborer at the time. In her book, ''On the Courthouse Lawn'', professor and civil rights lawyer [[Sherrilyn Ifill]] wrote of Matthew Williams, who was reported to have $56 in savings up to the point of his death. He was incredibly conscious of his money, depositing half of it in the Farmers’ and Merchants’ Bank of Salisbury and the other half in the Prudential Bank after hearing of the Depression-era bank failures. There was no trace of this money after his passing.<ref name=":5">((Cite book |last=Chavis Jr. |first=Charles L. |title=The Silent Shore: The Lynching of Matthew Williams and the Politics of Racism in the Free State |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |year=2021 |isbn=9781421442921 |pages=15–17))</ref>  

On the afternoon of December 4, 1931, a supposed confrontation at work led to Williams being hospitalized at Peninsula General Hospital (now [[Peninsula Regional Medical Center]]). He was placed in the "Negro Ward" in a straitjacket, with his head bandaged so that he could not see. Williams was heavily injured from bullet wounds, yet his actual death occurred much later.<ref name=":0" />

The official story goes that Matthew Williams went to his employer's office, and the two began arguing over wages. At some point in the argument, Matthew Williams shot Daniel Elliott, killing him, and then attempted to use the gun on himself. It was further reported that Daniel Elliott's son, James Elliott, then found the two and using the same gun, fired two more shots at Matthew Williams, wounding him in the chest and leg.<ref name=":0" />

The 1970s biography of Dorchester County waterman Joseph L. Sutton recounts a different story, stating that others claimed that the culprit was his son, James Elliot. Allegedly, James killed his father, Daniel, then later shot Williams to avoid him bearing witness against him. James later claimed that Williams shot Daniel and he took the gun soon after, wounding Williams.<ref name=":0">((Cite book |last=Iffil |first=Sherillyn |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780807009888/page/45 |title=On The Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the Twenty-First Century |publisher=Beacon Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-8070-0988-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780807009888/page/45 45]))</ref>

Williams was eventually dragged from the hospital by an angry mob who heard of the incident, and while the local police authorities were present, they were unable to stop the mob from lynching Williams on the courthouse green. It was hours later, after the body was hung and burned, the authorities were able to take the deceased Williams away.<ref>((Cite news |date=December 5, 1931 |title=Lynchers in Salisbury Had Right of Way |work=The Baltimore Sun))</ref>

== Historical significance ==
William's lynching is just one of many lynching cases on the Eastern Shore.<ref>((Cite web |title=Eastern shore lynching victims |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/eastern-shore-lynching-victims-memorialized/2021/06/09/a4b8faae-c7a3-11eb-a11b-6c6191ccd599_story.html))</ref> [[Lynching of Garfield King|Garfield King]], an 18-year-old black man in 1898, tragically became a victim of racial violence and injustice when he was forcefully taken out of a jail cell by a white mob.<ref name=":0" /> The mob exposed him to a horrific and brutal attack, which included beatings, kicks, and ultimately hanging him, followed by a blast of up to 50 gunshots.<ref name=":0" /> King had been accused of involvement in an altercation outside a store in which a 22-year-old white man named Harmon Kenney was shot and killed. This altercation ultimately led to King's death. Despite witnesses testifying, the perpetrators of this lynching remained unidentified due to the dim lighting and use of facial covers.<ref name=":0" /> What adds a particularly unsettling element to this tragedy is that all the witnesses "agreed" that the leader of the mob was a "mysterious tall man." The jury, however, determined a verdict stating that King had met his demise at the hands of unknown parties, shedding light on the grim pattern of such cases where justice was elusive, and the perpetrators often went unpunished. Garfield King's story serves as a saddening reminder of the racial injustices and violence that plagued America's history during this dark period.<ref>Ifill, Sherrilyn A. On the courthouse lawn, revised edition: confronting the legacy of lynching in the twenty-first century. Beacon Press, 2018.</ref>

In 1933, just two years after William's lynching, a man by the name of [[Lynching of George Armwood|George Armwood]] was accused of assaulting 72-year-old women in [[Princess Anne, Maryland|Princess Anne]]. Armwood was taken to a [[Salisbury, Maryland|Salisbury]] prison just ten miles north of Princess Anne. Armwood was stabbed and beaten to death outside of the jail. His dead corpse was then dragged by the mob, where his dead body was hung and set on fire outside the Somerset County courthouse. As predicted, the Somerset County police department claimed the mob who organized this attack was not from their county so there was nothing they could do.<ref>Levy, Peter B. "On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the Twenty-First Century." The Journal of Southern History 75.2 (2009): 474.</ref>

On the Eastern Shore, there is a typical pattern that appears in all of the lynchings.  African American prisoners were not protected and were taken by mobs.<ref name=":0" /> Also, the local newspapers and government all claimed that the guilty parties were unknown and that nothing could be done about these crimes.<ref name=":0" /> The historical significance of the lynchings that take place on the Eastern Shore is that it was a trend where whites could unrightfully cause harm and instill fear in Black communities.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

== Legacy/aftermath ==
The lynching of Matthew Williams has left an everlasting mark on the Eastern Shore.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":0" /> The lynchings that occurred on the Eastern Shore often go undiscussed, as they are viewed as taboo topics.<ref name=":1">((Cite news |last=Wyatt |first=K. |date=n.d. |title=A dark memory hangs over the eastern shore))</ref> The history of lynching is not discussed in families or taught in schools and as a result, people are left unaware of a large and crucial piece of Eastern Shore history.

=== Sherrilyn Ifill’s ''On the Courthouse Lawn'' ===
On December 1, 2007, Sherrilyn Ifill published a book titled ''On the Courthouse Lawn''.<ref name=":0" /> Ifill wrote this book to illustrate the ubiquitous history of lynchings on the Eastern Shore. Ifill also wrote her book to reach out to communities about this history of racial violence in an effort to help communities confront this legacy. The book contains considerable discussion of the lynching of Matthew Williams and the response of Salisbury, Maryland residents and institutions.<ref name=":0" />

In writing her book, Ifill stated that she did not intentionally single out the Eastern Shore. When conducting her research on nationwide lynching events, she found the Eastern Shore to be the ideal demonstration of how communities have failed to face and confront the legacy of lynching.<ref name=":1" />

In conducting her research, Ifill learned a great deal about not only the history of the lynchings but also their lasting impact on the communities on the Eastern Shore. In an interview following the publication of her book, she explains that the most disturbing part of her research was not the lynchings themselves, but rather it was the silence surrounding their existence.<ref name=":1" />

In ''On the Courthouse Lawn'', Ifill outlines the history of lynchings on the Eastern Shore and suggests that the racial violence experienced is not solely a history lesson but a trust-shattering reality that contaminates relationships between the varying communities on the Eastern Shore.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> Ifill found that while many White Eastern Shore natives had no knowledge of the lynchings, many Black Eastern Shore natives explained that the lynchings left a consequence of fear and mistrust.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

=== Bringing history to light ===
Long (n.d.) stated, "We need to actually talk more about the lasting consequences of the lynchings.".<ref name=":2">((Cite news |last=Marbella |first=Jean |date=2021 |title=Silent no more: Eastern shore community reckons with lynchings in its past |newspaper=The Washington Post))</ref> In recent((when|date=November 2023)) years, efforts have been made on the Eastern Shore to uncover and make known the legacy of lynching. A Confederate marker for [[John H. Winder]] that used to stand in front of the courthouse in downtown Salisbury has been removed, and a new historical marker was placed in front of the courthouse where twp of the lynchings occurred.<ref name=":2" /> Another effort Eastern Shore communities have engaged in is hosting vigils on the anniversaries of crimes.<ref>((Cite web |title=Vigil marks 1931 Salisbury lynching of Matthew Williams |url=https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2016/12/05/vigil-remembers-1931-salisbury-lynching/94978320/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=The Daily Times |language=en-US))</ref>

=== Confederate marker removed ===
Outside of the courthouse in downtown Salisbury, Maryland, there used to be a statue honoring Confederate General John Winder.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">((Cite web |last=Powers |first=K. |date=June 12, 2020 |title=Confederate general john winder sign comes down in wicomico |url=https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2020/06/12/confederate-general-john-winder-marker-removed-salisbury-wicomico/3175631001/ |website=Delmarva Now))</ref> Activists (such as the [[Wicomico Truth and Reconciliation Initiative]]), argued that this statue served as an overt nod towards white supremacy.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">((Cite web |last=Powers |first=K. |date=June 12, 2020 |title=Examining gen. john winder's history as confederate monuments fall across the country |url=https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2020/06/12/confederate-monuments-general-john-winder-history-maryland-wicomico/5341342002/ |website=Delmarva Now))</ref> Opponents believed that taking down the monument did not further racial harmony; rather, it erases history.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /> When taken down from the courthouse lawn in 2020, the marker was unceremoniously loaded into a small van.<ref name=":3" />

=== Placing of the new historical marker ===
When the former Confederate marker was removed, it was replaced by a nod to the history of lynching on the Eastern Shore. The bright blue sign sits in front of the courthouse and outlines the lynchings of Garfield King, Matthew Williams, and another unknown male, all lynched in Wicomico County.<ref name=":2" /> Dozens of people gathered for the unveiling as people walked the route the mob took in 1931 during the lynching of Matthew Williams. This event can be viewed as a chance to state, as a community, this was unjust. This event also allowed the discussion of the history of lynching to begin.

==References==
((Reflist))
* ((cite book |last1=Ifill |first1=Sherrilyn |title=On the Courthouse Lawn |date=2007 |publisher=Beacon Press |isbn=978-0-8070-0990-1 ))
* ((cite news |last1=Marbella |first1=Jean |title=Eastern Shore community reckons with the lynchings in Maryland's past |id=((ProQuest|2539413873)) |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/eastern-shore-lynching-victims-memorialized/2021/06/09/a4b8faae-c7a3-11eb-a11b-6c6191ccd599_story.html |newspaper=Washington Post |date=9 June 2021 ))
* ((cite news |last1=Powers |first1=Kelly |title=Confederate Gen. John Winder sign comes down in Wicomico |url=https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2020/06/12/confederate-general-john-winder-marker-removed-salisbury-wicomico/3175631001/ |work=The Daily Times |date=12 June 2020 ))
* ((Cite news |date=December 12, 1931 |title=Lynchers in Salisbury had right of way |work=The Baltimore Sun ))
* ((Cite news |date=December 5, 1931 |title=Salisbury killer is hanged from tree at courthouse |work=The Baltimore Sun ))
* ((Cite news |date=March 16, 1932 |title=The grand jury begins inquiry into lynching |newspaper=The Washington Post ))
* ((Cite news |date=January 25, 1932 |title=Guilt in lynching laid to Salisbury |newspaper=The Washington Post ))
* ((Cite news |last=Wyatt |first=K. |title=A dark memory hangs over the Eastern Shore ))

[[Category:1931 deaths]]
[[Category:1931 murders in the United States]]
[[Category:Lynching deaths in Maryland]]
[[Category:Murdered African-American people]]
[[Category:People from Salisbury, Maryland]]
[[Category:1908 births]]

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