Lynching of Raymond Byrd Remembered | Roanoke News

A century after his brutal lynching in Wytheville, Virginia, Raymond Byrd’s legacy was honored at Withers Park with a solemn ceremony where attendees sang ancestral songs and laid carnations — a poignant act of remembrance for the last known lynching in the state. Despite conflicting accounts of his arrest, the mob’s violent takeover of the jail, his murder, and the silence of then-Governor Harry F. Byrd, spurred national action: Virginia became the first state to criminalize lynching in 1928, driven by fears it threatened economic progress. The event, attended by Byrd’s great-granddaughter, called for truth-telling and healing, turning tragedy into a call for justice and community resilience. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ceaed2c20aed4080