Murder of Thomas Coleman
Thomas Coleman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Circa 1832 |
| Died | December 10, 1866 (aged 33–34) |
| Cause of death | Lynching, head bludgeoned with a large rock, throat cut with a knife |
| Body discovered | 11 Dec 1866, 40°46′33″N 111°53′28″W / 40.7759°N 111.8911°W |
| Burial place | Salt Lake City Cemetery 200 "N" Street: 40°46′37″N 111°51′35″W / 40.776918°N 111.859853°W |
| Other names | "Nigger Tom", Thomas Colburn, Thomas Bankhead |
| Occupation | Hotel attendant |
| Employer | Brigham Young |
| Organization | The Salt Lake House |
| Black people and the Latter Day Saint movement |
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Thomas Coleman (c. 1832 – December 10, 1866), a Black man formerly enslaved by Mormons, was murdered in 1866 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sources report the lynching was a hate crime and was committed by a friend or family member (or multiple people) of a White woman Coleman allegedly had been seen walking with before. The killer(s) slit his throat deeply and castrated his body. They then dumped his body near where the Utah State Capitol is now located, and pinned a note to his chest which said in large letters, "Notice to all niggers! Take warning!! Leave white women alone!!!": 181