National Park Service Seeks Public Input on Memphis Area Lynching Locations Special Resource Study

Date: February 3, 2026
Contact:NPS South Atlantic-Gulf Region

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The National Park Service has opened a 60-day public comment period until April 3, to gather information on lynching sites in the Memphis area for potential inclusion in the National Park System.

Under Public Law 117-328, Congress directed the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to evaluate the following eight lynching locations using congressionally established criteria for national significance, suitability, feasibility and need for direct NPS management to determine whether any of the study locations meet the criteria for inclusion in the system.

• 1868: Christopher Bender and Bud Whitfield - Memphis, Shelby County
• 1869: Wash Henley - Memphis, Shelby County
• 1892: Thomas Moss, Will Stewart and Calvin McDowell - Memphis, Shelby County
• 1893: Lee Walker - Memphis, Shelby County
• 1894: Warner Williams, Daniel Hawkins, Robert Haynes, Edward Hall, John Hayes and Graham White - Kerrville, Shelby County
• 1917: Ell Persons - Memphis, Shelby County
• 1939: Jesse Lee Bond - Arlington, Shelby County
• 1940: Elbert Williams - Brownsville, Haywood County

Additional sites within 100 miles of Memphis linked to other lynchings not listed in the legislation may be identified through historical research and public input for potential study.

Important to the study is gathering information from the public about the sites and events surrounding the lynchings, including any legal process and community activism at the time. Also important to the study is determining local and general public support and identifying any issues or concerns with a lynching site's potential inclusion in the system.

The NPS is providing opportunities for public comment and participation during the initial phase of the study to assess public interest and support. There will be one virtual public meeting on Feb. 27 and three in-person public meetings on March 3, 4 and 5. During these meetings, the study team will share information and answer questions about the study process, including the criteria used to evaluate sites for potential inclusion in the system. Visit parkplanning.nps.gov/Memphis for meeting links and details. All three meetings will have the same format and content.

Virtual and in-person public meetings are scheduled for the following dates and times:

• Friday, Feb. 27, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. CST, Virtual.
• Tuesday, March 3, 4:30-6:30 p.m. CST, Oxford Public Library Auditorium, 401 Bramlett Blvd., Oxford, MS.
• Wednesday, March 4, 6-8 p.m. CST, Rhodes College, Turley Center for Community Engagement, 613 University Ave., Memphis, TN.
• Thursday, March 5, 6-8 p.m. CST, Carver High School Auditorium, 705 East Jefferson St., Brownsville, TN.

Please visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/Memphis for further information, the virtual meeting link, study updates and to submit comments. Written comments may be submitted at the website by selecting "Open for Comment" on the left menu bar. They may also be submitted by mail to the address below. National Park Service employees care for America's 430+ national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov , and on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , and YouTube .