FBI begins 'Civil Rights-Era Cold Case Initiative' seeking next-of-kin for unsolved murders

During the struggle for civil rights, many brave men and women sacrificed their lives to improve the lives of Americans of all races. Unfortunately, because of lingering institutional racism in the South, the murders of these civil rights workers were not all investigated to their fullest, and quite a few went unsolved. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently announced its “Civil Rights-Era Cold Case Initiative,” to try to identify the next-of-kin of some of the victims of these cases.

According to its website,

As part of the Civil Rights-Era Cold Case Initiative, the FBI is currently re-assessing more than 100 unsolved or inadequately solved racially motivated homicides from the civil rights era. The FBI intends to notify the victims' families of the results of the investigation. Unfortunately, however, due to the passage of time and the migration of many families, the FBI has been unable to identify the next of kin in 33 cases. The names and circumstances of these victims are listed below in hopes that the public may be able to provide information that can assist the FBI in locating surviving family members.

Locating next-of-kin is a key part of what is called “forensic genealogy.” Forensic genealogists work for attorneys to identify missing heirs in difficult probate cases. Identifying next-of-kin is also an important part of other projects, such as identifying the survivors of soldiers killed during foreign wars, or even identifying candidates for DNA testing. These skills will be vital to making this new FBI Initiative a success.

The website for the Initiative identifies thirty-three cases of interest, involving thirty-six victims:

ATLANTA DIVISION:

A. C. Hall, killed on 11 October 1962, in Macon, Georgia.
Arthur James Hill, killed on 20 August 1965, in Villa Rica, Georgia.
Ernest Hunter, killed on 13 September 1958, in a Savannah, Georgia, police station.
Maybelle Mahone, killed on 5 December 1956, in Molena, Georgia.
Clarence Horatious Pickett, killed by a police officer on 23 December 1957, in a Columbus, Georgia, jail.

BIRMINGHAM DIVISION:

Nathan Johnson, killed by a police officer on 8 May 1966, in Alabaster, Alabama.
William Lewis Moore, killed on 23 April 1963, near Attala, Alabama.
Johnny Robinson, killed by a police officer on 15 September 1963, in Birmingham, Alabama.

COLUMBIA DIVISION:

James Waymers, killed on 10 July 1965, in Allendale, South Carolina.
Dallas Division:
John Earl Reese, killed on 22 October 1955, in Gregg County, Texas.
Jacksonville Division:
Joseph Hill Dumas, killed by a police officer on 5 May 1962, in Perry, Florida.

JACKSON DIVISION:

Eli Brumfield, killed by a police officer on 13 October 1961, in McComb, Mississippi.
Silas Earnest Caston, killed by a police officer on 1 March 1964, in Hinds County, Mississippi.
Jimmie Lee Griffin, killed ca. 24 September 1965, near Sturgis, Mississippi.
Earnest Jells, killed by a police officer on 20 October 1963, in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
William Henry Lee, a.k.a. John Patrick Lee, killed ca. 25 February 1965, in Rankin County, Mississippi.
George Love, killed by police officers on 8 January 1958, near Ruleville, Mississippi.
Neimiah Montgomery, killed by a police officer on 10 August 1964, in Cleveland, Mississippi.
Jesse James Shelby, killed by a police officer on 21 January 1956, in Yazoo City, Mississippi.
Ollie Shelby, killed on 22 January 1965, in a Hinds County, Mississippi, jail.
Ed Smith, killed on 27 April 1958, in State Line, Mississippi.
Isaiah Taylor, killed by a police officer on 26 June 1964, in Ruleville, Mississippi.

MOBILE DIVISION:

Hiliard Brooks, killed by a police officer on 13 August 1952.
Rogers Hamilton, killed on 22 October 1957, in Lowndes County, Alabama.
Bessie McDowell, killed in 1956, in Andalusia, Alabama.
James Earl Motley, killed on 20 November 1966, in an Elmore County, Alabama, police station holding cell.
Archie Wooden, killed in 1967, in Camden, Alabama.

NEW ORLEANS DIVISION:

Izell Henry, killed on 28 July 1954, in Greensburg, Louisiana.
David Pitts, Albert Pitts, Marshall Johns, and Ernest McPharland, killed on 23 July 1960, in Monroe, Louisiana.
New York Division:
Jimmy Powell, killed by a police officer on 16 July 1964 in New York City.

SAN ANTONIO DIVISION:

Preston Bolden, killed on 8 May 1953, in San Antonio, Texas.
Ann Thomas, killed on 8 April 1969, in San Antonio, Texas.
Ladislado Ureste, killed on 22 April 1953, in San Antonio, Texas.

If you live in any of these jurisdictions, and can help the FBI to identify the next-of-kin for any of the above victims, please contact your local FBI office. As genealogists, we should use our skills to help bring justice and peace to the families of these victims.