Three area lynching victims are being remembered this weekend. Aron Birdsong, Wes Hale and George Lowe were murdered near Watkinsville 100 years ago Saturday. John Vodicka is co-coordinator of the Athens Area Court Watch Project and Organizer of the event. He says Birdsong shot at a posse that gathered outside his house to lynch him before trying to hide in the woods.
“And then the chase began,” Vodicka said. “Birdsong left his house and tried to run away to hide, and they eventually captured him that afternoon on December 4th.”
He says the other victims were accused of helping Birdsong and they suffered the same fate.
“The mob went and rounded up these other two guys in their homes. According to one account…set them on fire and then shot them simultaneously or as they were burning to death.”
Vodicka says organizers hope to make sure lynching victims are not forgotten. 18:30
“This is a part of history that is important. These killings should be acknowledged and definitely we should remember those victims.”
Attendees will gather at 11:45 Saturday at Harris Shoals Park before walking about 150 yards to the lynch site for a brief ceremony. Flowers and stones can be placed at marker sites. You can hear more from John Vodicka on this week’s edition of Athens News Matters.
