Country United States County Anderson Local time Friday 2:09 AM | State Texas Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6) | |
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Weather 19°C, Wind S at 23 km/h, 89% Humidity | ||
Slocum is an unincorporated community in southeast Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. It has a population of approximately 250.
Contents
Map of Slocum, TX 75839, USA
Schools
The Slocum Independent School District serves area students who attend Slocum High School and Slocum Elementary School. It is a very small school that as of 2014- 2015 has around 500 students in the grades k-12.
Fire department
Slocum, Texas has one volunteer fire department. The VFD holds an annual BBQ and school reunion to raise money to provide for the needs of the fire department.
Post offices
There is no post office in Slocum. The nearest post office is in Elkhart located 7 miles from Slocum.
The Slocum Massacre of 1910
On July 29, 1910 an unknown number of African Americans were murdered by an all-white mob of an estimated 200 to 300 people. The original death-toll was reported to be as low as 8 to 22 victims, however, evidence later revealed that this was likely a cover up and the actual death-toll may have reached upwards of 200 victims. Before the massacre, the majority of Slocum's several hundred residents were black; afterward, many black residents of Slocum fled the town and left behind real estate, homes, and other assets, which were seized along with the victims' property.
Several events may have sparked the attacks. After a black person was lynched nearby, rumors spread that blacks were planning revenge. Also, a scuffle broke out over a business disagreement between a white and black resident, and many accounts say a man named James Spurger instigated events by claiming he was threatened by blacks.
All known victims were unarmed and most were shot in the back; no whites were injured.
Spurger, Reagon McKenzie, S. F. Jennings, and at least 13 other white men were arrested for the attacks, but none were ever tried. State Judge B.H. Gardner convened a grand jury; almost all local citizens were subpoenaed, and prominent people who resisted testifying were arrested. Seven of the men were indicted on 22 counts of murder; Gardner sent them to be tried in Houston but the prosecutor there did not proceed and they were released without trial.
On January 16, 2016, a roadside marker commemorating the victims was unveiled by their descendants. The marker was sought by Constance Hollie-Jawaid, a Dallas school district administrator whose great-grandfather, John Holley, was among the victims.