Plaque memorializing Watkinsville mass lynching to be dedicated June 29th

The following was released by the City of Watkinsville and Oconee County:

Nearly 120 years ago Watkinsville witnessed what may be the community’s greatest tragedy, a lynching of nine citizens by a mob of out-of-town residents.

There was no trial for the victims nor were there any consequences for the perpetrators.

The City of Watkinsville and Oconee County, in collaboration with local African American

leaders and community organizations, announced today that they will unveil a long-overdue

memorial plaque honoring the victims of the 1905 lynching. The unveiling ceremony is

scheduled for Sunday, June 29, 2025 – 120 years to the day since the tragic event took place.

The new plaque, to be placed near the Oconee County Courthouse and the site of the old

county jail, will serve as the first public memorial in Watkinsville to recognize this dark chapter

in the community’s history.

On the night of June 29, 1905, a mob of 40 to 100 men stormed the Oconee County Jail and

forcibly removed nine prisoners—eight Black men and one white man. The mob took them to a

nearby location and shot eight of them, leaving one survivor. The Black men killed were Rich

Allen, Lon Aycock, Claude Elder, Robert Harris, Sandy Price, Lewis Robinson, Rich Robinson, and

Gene Yerby.

This horrific event—one of the deadliest mass lynchings in Georgia’s history—occurred without

consequence. No individuals were ever charged or held accountable. The lynching followed the

wrongful accusation of two Black men in the death of a white farmer. In the context of early

20th-century racial terror, the lack of a fair trial or due process was tragically common,

reflecting broader patterns of injustice and white supremacist violence throughout the South.

Despite the presence of several historical markers and memorials in downtown Watkinsville,

there has been no public acknowledgment of this tragic act—until now.

“This memorial is not just about the past—it’s about who we are today and who we want to be

as a community,” said Watkinsville Mayor Brian Brodrick. “I’m grateful to our local elected

officials and community leaders who understand the time has come to acknowledge this

terribly painful moment in our community’s history.”The public is invited to attend the unveiling ceremony at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 29, at the

Oconee County Courthouse.