The short story
written by Paul Laurence Dunbar,
in the early 19th century, “The lynching of Jube Benson” was about
an African American male servant that was wrongly accused of raping and
murdering of a young causation female. The young lady by the name of Annie was
in fact in an adultery relationship with a gentleman by the name of
Dr.Melville. Dr.Melville explains his relationship with Jube, "He was a fellow whom everybody
trusted; an apparently steady-going, grinning sort, as we used to call him.
Well, he was completely under Miss Annie's thumb, and would fetch and carry for
her like a faithful dog. As soon as he saw that I began to care for Annie, and
anybody could see that, he transferred some of his allegiance to me and became
my faithful servitor also.” Jube Benson seemed to be seeking refuge with this
kind hearted innocent young girl and the others he helped. He probably assumed that
maybe through his kind deeds the people he helped may in turn help him. Unfortunately
for Jube Annie’s dying word was “black”. Everyone including Dr.Melville then
assumed that it must have been Jube Benson considering he was the only black
man she was ever seen with. The young black man Jube Benson was then lynched as
if no one had owed him anything accept for the presence at his lynching. The
town later found out that the cause of Annie’s death was a white man by the
name of Tom Skinner. Plainly put, this
story is a reflection on the cruel and inhuman practices of primitive
civilizations. In my opinion I believe that the reasons for the violence that
was depicted in this story derives from the governance and culture that
influences greed and immoral behavior.
