Stories of lynchings are often glossed over in Texas
history, and the brutal nature of the burnings that happened here are never
discussed at all. I interview ER Bills about his book, "Black Holocaust:
The Paris Horror and a Legacy of Texas Terror," that details the
horrifying history of these burnings and why it is relevant today.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cDGNJ0UIBv-ZbiEyRt5NJ8jO57g5bb1Rjr6cD4zsI0Rl9JyXfe7BXrFRGa00ElpD7Efp7S5rqopKYE7_blUr2MefhmQA-NCUu2-e64nZqWuYBatIPiznX5wkEK0HF-52C4tiyJ176Wk/s400/Henry+Smith.jpg) |
Henry Smith, a man burned without trial in Texas in front of a crowd of thousands. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QqgTrW9mekWL2pyg491zUfS2ix265jFeorVF2_98NSBeyeensEtvOyZvCHek0Aq1PNHo5IrkNHbbj22M_ZUEXPK_gbbA2527jSNZ0PhxpRtS9ThM0zdmb2-hNPTErFU8B1vjwOo1MJ8/s400/Henry+smith+lynching+%2528from+farther+back%2529-3.jpg) |
Burning of Henry Smith. They burned and tortured him for over 40 minutes. Notice the size of the crowd. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHBGfBacesA_W7hTKzg5icHNk-5FuDxNeKaNeDs2LfxKHp4eYLCsKWR9IfYK4xyVeMDNXNeQ3AK48nRquZ8O5YWvELBsZviQYrLjGEeAYzVdTfVcVW8kKd6M14aT0zRIs0E-HEoB_scc/s400/George+Hughes_Mob+Burns+Down+Grayson+County+Courthouse.jpg) |
Courthouse burns down |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGK9SywISO7p5IHmSEDbYIBopJwUdxzXgbV4-axGNK8R7A-KaniC69xyX7FohQZfluw5Cj9IjxoG3h_N3KRX9i5YDUYnXZ_OsGB7S_w_nKlGJTnsaVeu10vFsvr0wzh1XXxHBVmWG9_I/s320/er_headshot.jpg) |
Author and Historian ER Bills |