Historical markers about Black Georgians shot, vandalized

Historical markers dedicated to Black Georgians have come under fire, culminating last week in the shooting of a marker for baseball legend Jackie Robinson in his hometown of Cairo, Georgia.

It was one in a series of incidents, including the desecration of a marker about the brutal lynching of a pregnant Black woman in 1918, and this recent increase of vandalism has historians — and descendants of lynching victims — concerned.

The signs are part of the Georgia Historical Society’s Civil Rights Trail series: 44 markers recognizing significant people, events and places that shaped the state.

Typically, such markers, while informative, might seem like a benign presence on the landscape. But given the volatile racial climate and political rhetoric of the past few years, some people worry the incidents involving the Black history markers — though a relative handful — signal entrenchment of racial intolerance and denial of history, observers said. They also say it’s particularly concerning that guns were used to damage the markers.

Read more: https://www.ajc.com/life/historical-markers-about-notable-black-georgians-shot-vandalized/ZL6PX7SZOVFFNJLQCBYMRTXUMY/