On June 15, 1920, three black men were lynched in Duluth, in the northern United States, accused without proof of having raped a white woman. A hundred years later, justice has pardoned a fourth African-American convicted of this crime which he has always denied.
Read also: Death of George Floyd: "Even the Whites have finally understood"
Max Mason, who died in 1942, became the first man to benefit from posthumous pardon in the state of Minnesota on Friday, a symbol at a time when America is confronting the historical roots of racism which still undermines large sections of society.
The request for pardon had been made long before a white police officer in that state asphyxiated George Floyd under his knee on May 25 in Minneapolis, triggering a huge wave of anger across the country; but its outcome comes at the right time. “ The past few weeks have shown us that we need better justice in Minnesota. Max Mason's pardon is a long overdue step in this direction, "said state attorney general Keith Ellison.
On June 14, 1920, a young white woman, Irene Tusken, and a friend went to see a circus performance in Duluth. The next day, the young man had assured his father that they had been attacked by members of the troop after the performance and that his partner had been raped.
The police immediately arrested several black employees, including Max Mason, and paraded them before the couple, who did not recognize them. A doctor had examined the young woman, without finding any trace of sexual violence, according to court documents. Max Mason was then allowed to leave and continued on his way with the traveling circus. However, the police arrested and detained other suspects.
During the night, a group broke into the police station and grabbed three men, dragging them through the streets of Duluth before hanging them in front of thousands of people. Bob Dylan's hometown, who dedicated the song " Desolation row " to this crime, has since apologized and erected a memorial in 2003 in memory of the victims.
If he escaped death, Max Mason found himself struggling with justice who, going back, had him arrested and then sentenced him to 30 years in prison, in particular because he and Irene Tusken were suffering both of gonorrhea, a common venereal disease. He probably would not have been convicted " if he had been white, " said local prosecutor Mason Forbes at the time, quoted in the pardon request.
Read also: "The assassination of George Floyd", "symbol of the old world" according to the Nigerien president