The South vs Leo Frank: Effects of Southern Culture on the Leo Frank Case 1913-1915

In 1915, a young man from New York became the only Jewish person ever lynched in America. This paper analyzes primary and secondary sources including newspapers, magazines and personal accounts to consider the events that led to Leo Frank’s death in Georgia. Anti-Semitism, populism, racism, and newspaper coverage all infected the case. Despite extensive analysis in historical and popular works, the culture of Southern honor has typically been relegated to a minor role in the case. This study challenges the widely held assumption that anti-Semitism was the main impetus for the lynching and instead focuses on the culture of Southern honor as the ultimate cause. Increased understanding of Southern honor and the role it played in daily life in the south will contribute to future study of Southern history