1893 was a particularly brutal year for racial violence in the United States, with at least 118 reported lynchings of Black individuals. Lynching was a widespread tool of racial terror, particularly in the South, used to enforce white supremacy and intimidate Black communities.

This violence peaked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often targeting those who were perceived as challenging racial hierarchies, seeking economic independence, or simply existing in a society that denied them legal protection. Anti-lynching activists like Ida B. Wells worked tirelessly to expose these crimes, documenting cases and pushing for federal anti-lynching legislation—though Congress did not pass such laws at the time due to opposition from Southern politicians.