Seeking Refuge

The short story written by Paul Laurence Dunbar, in the early 19^th 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.