A free workshop Saturday at the YWCA of Southern Arizona will use the 1911 lynching of Laura Nelson and her son to talk about violence against Black women today.

Their story will be explored through an interactive workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at 525 N. Bonita Ave. The event will feature a screening of the extended trailer for the documentary “Looking for Laura Nelson,” followed by a showing of director Bruce Nelson’s short film “Raglin Tales” and a guided group discussion.

The free event, “A Legacy of Silence, A Call to Speak: Laura Nelson and the Ongoing Violence Against Black Women and Girls,” is presented by the Laura & L.D. Nelson Foundation and the YWCA of Southern Arizona’s Dr. Laura Banks Reed Center for Gender & Racial Equity.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Bruce Nelson’s journey began when he received an email from Shirley, who said AncestryDNA testing showed they are third or fourth cousins.

Shirley asked him whether he’d heard of Okemah and told him to search online for the name Laura Nelson.

His search revealed that on May 25, 1911, a mob took Laura Nelson and her teenage son, L.D., from the Okfuskee County jail and lynched them from a bridge over the Canadian River near Okemah, Oklahoma. Postcards depicting the lynching circulated as souvenirs. No one was ever prosecuted, and their names were nearly lost to history.

“They are our relatives,” Shirley told him.

That discovery became the starting point for a deeper look at family history, racial violence and the importance of reclaiming stories that have been overlooked or forgotten.

Bruce Nelson wants audiences to see Laura Nelson as more than a historical photograph or a victim of racial violence. He wants them to know she had a life, a family and a story of her own.

“Don’t just put her picture up, put her name up, tell people,” Bruce Nelson said. “She and my uncle had a life, they had kids and it was snatched away, she was only 30. When you talk about her, talk about her whole life.”

Bruce Nelson said the documentary also seeks to draw attention to violence against Black women today and how their experiences are often overlooked.

“Black women don’t get talked about much, Black women get shot and killed. I want people to take a look at the bigger picture,” Bruce Nelson said. “We’re using her story as the core to connect the dots.”

Victor Bowleg, manager of the Dr. Laura Banks Reed Center for Gender & Racial Equity, said the workshop is intended to bring attention to issues affecting the community.

“We want to draw attention to things that take place in our community,” Bowleg said. “A lot of crimes towards African American women are underreported or not reported at all.”

Bruce Nelson and Bowleg both hope to inspire others to speak up, since some communities may avoid the topic.

“Sometimes people feel ashamed or like they did something wrong when they didn’t,” Bowleg said.

He wants people to look at what’s happening and consider how education can help.

“These are all aspects of history,” Bowleg said.

Bowleg said there have been recent lynchings, citing 10 people who were found hanging under mysterious circumstances in the past few months.

The workshop reflects the YWCA of Southern Arizona’s mission to eliminate racism, promote peace, justice and dignity, and empower women. It also supports the Laura & L.D. Nelson Foundation’s commitment to education, remembrance and advocacy, which it pursues through art, film and other creative work.

Tickets for the event are free, but attendees must RSVP in advance.

Abril Ruiz is a student at the University of Arizona School of Journalism and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at abrilruiz@arizona.edu.

Tucson Spotlight is a community-based newsroom that provides paid opportunities for students and rising journalists in Southern Arizona. Please consider supporting our work with a tax-deductible donation.