By Dana Jean

Insulting a telephone operator. That was the “crime” for which Commodore Jones was forced to step off the top of a telephone pole with a rope around his neck on August 11, 1911 in Farmersville, Texas. This coming Tuesday marks 109 years since Mr. Jones, a 26-year old Black man, was so brutally murdered, right here in our own backyard.

Mr. Jones’ murder was brought to light for our parish during the Civil Rights Pilgrimage in 2019. At the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Pilgrims silently walked around the six acres surrounded by sculpture and art that help put the terror of lynchings into perspective. According to one Pilgrim, the columns with victims’ names engraved on them were overwhelmingly powerful. He felt dread in his stomach as he approached the spot where Collin County was represented, knowing in his heart that there would be evidence of lynching in his own community, but hoping against hope that there would be no names.

Commodore Jones’ name was engraved on the column, the only documented lynching in Collin County.

This year, to mark the date and honor Mr. Jones, a small group of the Pilgrims, which has recently started evolving into a Racial Justice Team, will meet to say Evening Prayer together at Mr. Jones’ grave in the Royse City Cemetery.

After dying on the telephone pole, Mr. Jones’ body was taken to the Royce City Cemetery, just outside of Collin County. It appears that he was buried as far to the back of the cemetery as possible, even further removed from the main cemetery than the section reserved for Black people. There are no other graves near his for at least 50 feet and his grave is in disrepair, at risk for toppling over.

For perspective, there have been 344 documented lynchings in Texas, 28 of which occurred in Dallas County. Of course, this does not include undocumented lynchings and formal executions. In fact, the first person ever to be executed by the state was a Black woman by the name of Jane Elkins, who killed her owner in self-defense as he raped her.

Please join the Racial Justice Team in praying that the Holy Spirit will guide us in honoring Mr. Jones, opening doors for us in the work of Racial Justice that will lead to healing and reconciliation.

Also, please join the team on Facebook Live, Tuesday at 6:00 p.m., for Evening Prayer.

If you would like to join the Racial Justice Team, please contact Dana Jean by email.

Read more about the murder of Commodore Jones:
http://lynchingintexas.org/items/show/308
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79939891/commodore-jones#source
https://www.smudailycampus.com/news/the-history-of-hangings-and-lynchings-in-dallas-county