Between 1865 and 1950, racial terror lynchings claimed the lives of at least 6,500 Black people, terrorized millions more, and reinforced racial hierarchy and segregation after the Civil War and Emancipation through disenfranchisement, economic exploitation, and racial discrimination. Black people accused of violating social customs, seeking economic autonomy, or committing alleged crimes were often targeted, and even minor accusations could end in lynching while victims were denied due process despite the presence of functioning criminal justice systems. Many Black people fled the South to escape this climate of terror and trauma, including after the lynchings of Mr. Ruddy and the Ellis brothers, when ferry boats were loaded to capacity with Black people leaving the neighborhood where the killings occurred. Oral histories document additional lynchings in Manatee and Sarasota Counties, and although many victims remain unknown, at least 845 racial terror lynchings have been identified in Florida. Between 1903 and 1934, white mobs terrorized and lynched at least six Black people in Manatee and Sarasota counties. On March 8, 1903, a white mob hanged Henry Thomas near Parrish and left his body suspended overnight after a mere allegation of assault. On March 6, 1910, a Black man referred to as Ruddy was lynched following a dispute with his white employer over wages. On March 7, a white mob lynched brothers Sam and Wade Ellis after accusing them of interfering with Mr. Ruddy's lynching. On July 2, 1912, a white mob abducted Willie English from the Manatee County Jail and lynched him after he had been arrested solely because a white woman alleged that he had spoken to her in an insulting way. On April 4, 1934, a white man shot and killed James Franklin, reportedly with the assistance of two law enforcement officers who were supposed to be escorting him to a physician for a physical and mental wellness exam. Despite eyewitnesses and photographic evidence, no members of any of these mobs were held accountable for lynching these Black men.