Duluth – Learning from Place: African American History and the Duluth Lynchings of 1920

About this event

Join us for a Learning from Place experience exploring the history and legacy of the 1920 Duluth lynchings. Through personal stories, historical context, and community perspectives, event participants will examine and reflect upon one of Minnesota’s most significant acts of racial terror. Beginning at Zeitgeist Arts, participants will walk to the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial, which honors Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie—the three Black men who were lynched in Duluth in 1920. Along the walk, participants will visit the site of a former city jail and learn about the events of 1920, the community’s efforts to preserve and share this history, and the Memorial’s ongoing role in fostering dialogue, remembrance, and understanding. The group will then travel by bus to Park Hill Cemetery, where the three men were laid to rest. There, participants will learn how community members worked to ensure they were no longer buried in unmarked graves, culminating in the dedication of permanent headstones in 1991. Upon returning to Zeitgeist, participants will have time to reflect on the experience, engage in conversation with one another, and consider how this history continues to shape our understanding of place, memory, and community. As the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States, this experience invites participants to consider how a fuller understanding of our shared history – including stories that have too often been overlooked – strengthens our democracy and informs the future we build together. This Learning from Place experience was curated by Carl Crawford, a founding member of the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial. The Memorial’s mission is to preserve the history of the 1920 Duluth lynchings, honor the lives of Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie, and inspire ongoing dialogue, education, and action toward racial justice. +Meet the Facilitator and Speakers Carl Crawford is a founding member of the Clayton Jackson…