Updated December 2025
A proper discussion of racial violence must recognize the ethical dilemmas of engaging the public with a history of crimes against humanity and inter-generational trauma. Racial violence took place within the era of Jim Crow, a regime of racial authoritarianism lasting nearly 100 years between 1880 and 1965. In this period of U.S. History, people of color were denied their citizenship, community ties, family bonds, generational wealth, employment, and education. This project focuses entirely on African American victims of racial violence in the Jim Crow era of Kentucky history.
The editors and interns of Documenting Racial Violence in Kentucky (DRVK) recognize that certain historical narratives of racial violence risk reinforcing white supremacist ideas and the “spectacle” of Black trauma in a public setting. At the same time, historical coverage of racial violence cannot downplay its extreme consequences. To properly address these dimensions, DRVK devotes itself to transparent research practices that engage with the tradition of truth and reconciliation and the philosophy of restorative justice while critically analyzing primary sources. These research practices are intended to further our goals of 1) educating the public on the history of lynching in Kentucky while countering prevailing white supremacist narratives and 2) developing students’ ability to ethically research and analyze topics of racial violence.
Integrity and Transparency
The lives of the victims of racial violence are central to this project. Every biography begins with a discussion of who the person was and who were important figures in their lives. As much as possible we also try to document their work, residential locations, and service in federal, local, and state government. If there is no extant information about the victim, the statement is added at the beginning of each biography.
It is imperative that we remain accountable for the accuracy of our historical information. We thus strive to remain open about our research process and the sources used, all the while remaining open to criticism. Our techniques should be replicable, producing valuable information in a proper, educational context. We also acknowledge that reducing information on racial violence to mere “data” is problematic. While treating the deaths and shattered lives of humans, the real human impact of racial violence is a crucial consideration that requires dedication to more than mere accuracy.
Critical Close Reading of Primary Sources
When possible and relevant, we also identify racial biases in the newspapers reporting the act of racial violence. We state if a newspaper had a predominantly white or black readership. White newspapers, the most common primary source used in the treatment of racial violence, played an active role in reinforcing the effects of racial violence. The narratives spun by these newspapers bolstered racist ideas of African American criminality while perpetuating the spectacle performance of the lynch mob. Uncritical use of such sources is problematic. We thus commit ourselves to critically reading all primary sources, cognitive of the fact that the stories told are embedded with false presumptions of Black guilt that malign lynching victims while denying them their individuality.
Educational Goals
We are committed to engaging in substantive discussions about the pedagogical practices and challenges of teaching about racial violence. As the archive develops, we will add lesson plans for educators for age-specific educational materials. We are in the process of compiling a bibliography of graphic novels and other age-appropriate materials related to resisting Jim Crow and racial violence. We also strongly encourage educators to reach out to the project managers for ideas and constructive feedback.
Student Development
We elevate the work of student interns, and as much as possible, interns are compensated for their labor. Researching and writing about racial violence in U.S. History is upsetting. Student interns are trained in standard ethical journalistic practices before they research the lives of lynching victims. The project managers have devised and implemented strict guidelines on how much and how long interns should work on their biographical narratives or transcriptions per week. This work is not to exceed five (5) hours per week, with multiple breaks.
Making historical records publicly available
As a member of the Red Record Consortium at Northeastern University, “we affirm that our work includes making historical records and narratives available to the public. Because we believe that the public benefits from access to this history, we prioritize publication and convenient document retrieval whenever possible.”