Blood at the Root: Lynching as American Cultural Nucleus

Blood at the Root

Blood at the Root Lynching as American Cultural Nucleus Jennie Lightweis-Goff An earlier version of the Introduction appeared as “ ‘Blood at the Root’: Lynching, Memory, and Freudian Group Psychology” in Journal for Psychoanalysis of Culture and Society 12, no. 3 (September 2007): 288–95. Published by State University of New York Press, Albany© 2011 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu Production by Kelli W. LeRoux Marketing by Anne M. Valentine Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lightweis-Goff, Jennie. Blood at the root : lynching as American cultural nucleus / Jennie Lightweis-Goff. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4384-3629-6 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-4384-3628-9 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Lynching—United States—History. 2. United States—Race relations. 3. Race relations in literature. I. Title. HV6457.L54 2011 364.1'34—dc22 2010032064 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For Frank Embree’s Eyes: See Again For Leo Frank’s Throat: Speak Again For Laura Nelson’s Body: Live Again ...