Focus 11: Burying the Past

The year was 1901. The place was Pierce City, Missouri. Gisela Wild, a 23-year old white woman, was murdered. Three black men were suspected and lynched. By some accounts more than 1,000 men armed with rifles taken from a National Guard armory chased every black family out of town.

By Jeff Bernthal,

April 28, 2008, 3:45 PM CDT

The year was 1901. The place was Pierce City, Missouri. Gisela Wild, a 23-year old white woman, was murdered. Three black men were suspected and lynched. By some accounts more than 1,000 men armed with rifles taken from a National Guard armory chased every black family out of town.

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A century later, the current mayor remembers stories her grandmother told of watching African American families carrying as many possessions as they could on their backs, running away, never to be seen again. "It's a very painful, embarrassing situation. I've known it all my life. My grandmother was here. She lived through it, she was afraid, they hid in their homes. It was a terrible, terrible time," said Carol S. Hirsch, Pierce City mayor.

James Cobb was buried in the Pierce City cemetery. His family was among those who lost their property. That's why Charles Brown is so upset today. He's Cobb's great-grandson. "That meant that nobody could come back and pay tribute to him. Not my great-grandmother, not my grandmother, not anyone else, so my father never knew where his great grandfather was buried," said Brown.

A film crew followed Brown's journey to Pierce City. When his great grandfather's remains were found, Brown wanted them removed and asked Pierce City to pay for the excavation as a way to make up for the land that was lost. "This was a private matter that had nothing to do with the city, I thought," said Hirsch.

The mayor said Brown's request came as an unpleasant surprise, "You don't expect the city to pay for something that happened over 100 years ago that no one living today had anything to do with."

Brown eventually paid the bill, but moved his great-grandfather's remains to a cemetery in Springfield, Missouri, where he felt more comfortable visiting. "I want to go pay tribute to him, I'm not going to pierce city," said Brown.

He insists that Pierce City owes his family compensation for what happened. In fact he's leaving the gravesite in Springfield unmarked as a way to show his fight isn't over even though it appears to be a losing battle. "Should we be expected to pay? No, absolutely not," said Hirsche.

Missouri congressman, Lacy Clay, has introduced legislation calling for an investigation into the banishment of African American families from several Missouri cities during the early 1900's. "There are generations that lost property, that lost the economics of owning property of owning a home," said Rep. Clay.

He acknowledges seeking money from small Missouri cities is not the answer. He wants a congressional committee to determine what should be done. "African Americans put up with a lot of crap over the years and now it's time to see if we can adjust attitudes and have people start talking," said Clay.

In the meantime, Brown shows the film made about his journey to churches, schools and other groups. It does not depict Pierce City in the most positive light.

Brown says the film is proof that what happened 100 years ago is not ancient history. He believes attitudes haven't changed much over the years. "Because we are what our parents are, our parents are what their parents were," said Brown.

The mayor feels Brown and the film are unfair. She says Pierce City doesn't hide its painful past. "It's there. We can not change it. All we can do is go forward, and that's what we're doing," said Hirsche.

Now an African American serves on the city council. The mayor also showed me where the city placed a memorial for the three black men lynched in the riots of 1901. "A lot of people say it was hidden, it's not a hidden story," said Hirsche.

The story will be talked about for at least as long as Charles Brown is alive, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it might be. He says try putting yourself in his shoes, "All I say is pretend that's your family, put you in my position, being proud of your family as you are, how would you be?"