Joseph Gentile

The Innocent Lynched: the Story of Eleven Italians Lynched in New Orleans Joseph Gentile

"Mafia is a good word with which to conjure up prejudice and hide unpleasant truths. It had been and is, so used by the press all over this country; but I think, if ever the real facts come out (and they may) it will be seen that the late Chief of Police was murdered at the instigation of individuals, out of fear that he would be instrumental in letting their enemies loose upon them, and not by any organized Society." British Consul's Report, New Orleans, March 26, 1891. In 1891, when a court of law found nine Italians not guilty of the murder of the New Orleans Chief of Police, an angry mob decided to take justice into its own hands. The result was the worst lynching in American history: eleven Italians were lynched while still in police custody. The repercussions of this horrible incident can still be felt today. The xenophobia of the time created negative stereotypes that are still common. This book explores new possibilities of what actually occurred and who was really to blame.