Vigil held for lynching victims

TYLER — The Tyler Downtown Square hosted a vigil Friday night — the evening of Juneteenth — to remember local lynching victims. Organizers said there have been 92 known victims of lynching in the Tyler/Smith County area. The event included songs, sacred dance, prayer, and a variety of other presentations. It was organized by a group called Tyler Justice and Reconciliation. Several speakers offered stories of local lynching victims dating to the mid-nineteenth century. Pastor Darryl Bowdre, who has previously served as a Tyler City Council member and school trustee, commented, “We are standing on blood…it’s time to acknowledge our thorny past.” Other pastors emphasized the importance of repentance and empathy. The event was yet another in a series of activities held in East Texas and elsewhere following the George Floyd incident in Minneapolis.