Killing of Ed Cole in Mississippi in 1932

Incident

Case summary

Ed Cole, age 51, a railroad brakeman, was killed in 1932 by unknown person(s) in Water Valley, Yalobusha County, Mississippi. Cole was fatally shot while working. It was speculated that Cole was one of a number of Black men killed in a concerted white terror campaign to deter Black men from taking railroad jobs.

Victim(s):

Ed Cole


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

B. G. Gurner

Reedy Lee

J. Matt Lewis

Charles J. Miller

Emmett Smith

M. F. Varnado

Perpetrator group type: [ ]

Date of incident: 1932-02-04
Location: Water Valley, Yalobusha County, Mississippi
Location type: victim's workplace
Allegation against victim: holding jobs white men wanted

Coroner process
Coroner/inquest: [ ]
Finding of no legal responsibility: [ ]

Criminal process
Arrest: [ ]
Charge/indictment/information: [ ]
Grand jury: yes
Trial: yes
Conviction: yes
Sentence: a term in the state pen


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
death certificates
federal agency records
news articles - closed
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