The Dragging Death of James Byrd Jr

Three white supremacists dragged Byrd on the back of a pickup truck

Jasper, Texas, resident James Byrd Jr. didn’t cause trouble or bother anyone. He was a hardworking African American man, a father of three grown children, who, like most of us, enjoyed socializing with friends and a few beers. He was well-known in the small town. Since he did not own a car, Byrd could often be seen walking through town.

Byrd Dragged to Death

On the evening of June 7, 1998, Byrd Jr. attended a party about one mile from his home. The party ended about 1 a.m. and Byrd began the walk home when a pickup truck with three men inside- WilliamKing, Lawrence Russell Brewer, and Shawn Allen Berry- offered him a ride. Byrd knew at least one of the men. He accepted and hopped into the be of the truck.

The three men had been driving around Jasper drinking alcohol, looking for women when they saw Byrd walking down the road. Witnesses reported seeing Byrd Jr. in the back of the pickup truck sometime around 2:30 a.m. and 2:45 a.m.