George Meadows was anAfrican American man who waslynched on January 15, 1889, inJefferson County,Alabama,United States.[1]
On January 14, 1889, awhite woman reported that she had been raped and her son killed by an African American man.[2] Over 400 whitecoal miners formed themselves into groups and brought several black men to the woman, who was unable to identify any of them as the alleged criminal. The next day, the miners brought Meadows, a new arrival to the area, and after a brief investigation, declared him to be guilty.[2] The woman begged the mob not to lynch Meadows, as she was unsure if he was the criminal, but the mob went forward with the lynching and killed him near the Pratt Mines. Following his death, his body was shot multiple times and left in public view by anundertaker. Meadows was later buried in apaupers' grave in what is nowLane Park inBirmingham, Alabama.[3]
On January 16, the sheriff decided that Meadows was not the actual perpetrator of the crime, and arrested another African American man, Lewis Jackson.[3]
In 2019, Tony Bingham, aprofessor atMiles College and an advisor for the Jefferson County Memorial Project, announced his intent to either locate the site of Meadows's grave or have theBirmingham Zoo orBirmingham Botanical Gardens (both of which are located in Lane Park) erect amemorial at their facilities.[3]
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