People's Grocery

Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell, and Will Stewart, all African-Americans and co-owners of People's Grocery (located at this site), were arrested in connection with a disturbance near their store. Rather than being brought to trial, they were lynched on March 9, 1892. Moss' dying words were, "Tell my people to go west--there is no justice for them here." This lynching prompted Ida B. Wells, editor of Memphis Free Speech, to begin her anti-lynching campaign in this country and abroad.