Lynching Statistics 1920–1939: 461 Documented Cases

The Tuskegee Institute documented 461 lynchings of Black Americans between 1920 and 1939 — an average of more than 23 per year. The true number is believed higher as rural murders were often not reported or recorded. Mississippi led with 78 victims, followed by Georgia with 50, and Texas with 41. Most victims were accused of crimes ranging from murder to 'reckless eyeballing.' Fewer than 1% of participants in documented lynchings faced any legal consequences. The NAACP's ongoing documentation was essential to congressional lobbying for federal anti-lynching legislation.