Ever heard of Willie McGee? Neither had I until the New York Times ran an article about his death. His story is sad and takes place in Laurel, Miss, during the days of Jim Crow. In November 1945, McGee was arrested for the rape of a white mother of three. Some rumors in town said McGee and the woman had been having an affair; others said McGee was playing cards at the time of the rape. However, he was convicted by an all-white jury and sentenced to death. His execution was scheduled for May 8, 1951.
What makes his case stand out from other Black men who were punished beyond the extent of their alleged crime? For one, he was killed in Mississippi's "traveling electric chair." For 15 years, this chair was moved from county to county to be used for people being put to death in the state. Even more disturbing is the fact that McGee's execution was broadcast on live radio, and in the background you can hear the cheers of a crowd of 1,000 who had assembled on the courthouse lawn. According to the NYT, there are "whoops, hollers, and cheers, and an excited cry of 'That's it!'"
At the time of his conviction, McGee's case gained national attention and people, both white and black, celebrities and students, protested his sentence. Today people continue to try to understand his life and his death. Last Friday, NPR ran a half-hour radio documentary on his life called "Willie McGee and the Traveling Electric Chair". There has also been a book published about his case, and this week Alex Heard’s “The Eyes of Willie McGee: A Tragedy of Race, Sex and Secrets in the Jim Crow South” (Harper) will be released.
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