In January 1901, a young Black man named Fred Alexander was dragged from his jail cell by a mob and burned alive outside Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. His only “crime” was being accused — not tried, not convicted — accused. This bonus episode of Deadly Truths: Death in the Big House examines how racism, mob violence, and media hysteria collided to create one of Kansas’s darkest moments. Through historical records, modern reflection, and the city’s recent efforts at remembrance, we revisit the story of Fred Alexander — and the reckoning that came more than a century too late.
⚠️ Trigger Warning: Contains descriptions of racial violence and lynching.
📘 Show Notes & Resources:
Equal Justice Initiative — Community Remembrance Project: Leavenworth, KS
Richard Allen Cultural Center & Museum — Leavenworth, KS
Kansas Reflector (2020): “The Lynching of Fred Alexander”
Leavenworth Times Archives — January 1901 editions
Facing History & Ourselves: Lynching in America
Clio Database: Fred Alexander Historical Marker, Leavenworth
ACLU of Kansas: Civil Rights & Historical Memory Series
📜 Disclaimer:This episode discusses historical racial violence and lynching. Some descriptions may be distressing. This content is intended for educational and historical awareness purposes. All research is drawn from public historical records, newspapers, and scholarly sources.
🎧 Closing Call to Action:Like, share, and follow to help keep these stories alive — because history doesn’t haunt us because it’s gone. It haunts us because it’s not forgotten.
#DeadlyTruthsPodcast #TrueCrimePodcast #FredAlexander #LeavenworthKS #RacialJustice #EqualJusticeInitiative #AmericanHistory #CivilRightsHistory #FortLeavenworth #HistoricalTrueCrime #DeathInTheBigHouse #JusticeForFredAlexander #KansasHistory #PodcastSeasonTwo #RacialViolenceInAmerica
