Killing of George Johnson in Texas in 1930

Incident

Case summary

George Johnson, 30, a farm worker, was killed in 1930 by a sheriff’s posse in Honey Grove, Fannin County, Texas. Johnson was charged with the killing of his landlord, a white man named Fortenberry, in an altercation over debt. He was shot to death by the sheriff’s posse after barricading himself in his cabin. His body was tied to a car, dragged through the business district of a Black section of town, and burned. A race riot ensued perpetrated by a white mob that brutalized and destroyed the Black section of Honey Grove.

Victim(s):

George Johnson


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Oscar Davis

Tom Moore

Perpetrator group type: police, posse, mob

Date of incident: 1930-05-16
Location: Honey Grove, Fannin County, Texas
Location type: private space - agricultural or industrial
Allegation against victim: murdering a white landlord in an altercation over a debt

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

Criminal process
Arrest: [ ]
Charge/indictment/information: [ ]
Grand jury: [ ]
Trial: [ ]
Conviction: [ ]
Sentence: [ ]


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
news articles - closed
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