John Harvard (or Howard) was lynched in 1909 in Pulaski County, Georgia.

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John Harvard, a negro preacher, shot and fatally injured Will D. Booth two miles from Cochran late yesterday afternoon.

Booth was en route to Cochran in an automobile when the shooting occurred. He drove up behind Harvard, who was in front of him in a wagon. Harvard charged that Booth's machine frightened his mules. He drew a pistol, after a few words, and fired upon Booth. Booth returned the fire, and it was learned after the negro was captured that he captured two bullets.

Officers from Hawkinsville in automobiles, with track hounds, went immediately to the scene of the shooting, but a party of enraged citizens was quickly formed and trailed the negro on horseback to his hiding place. He showed fight, but was suffering so severely from the effects of his injuries that he could offer but little resistance.

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A month later, the weekly Cherokee Advance added Harvard was burned at the stake.

Do keep in mind that newspaper journalism - even at a paper as large as the Hearst-owned Atlanta Georgian (from which the longer account is from) - is far from what you'd see now. Nothing or no one is sourced. It's very doubtful the Georgian made an appearance on the scene. The Advance and Georgian agree on the details, but you're not going to find any media accounts in white-owned southern newspapers that would stick up a black person in a criminal story.

No doubt that Harvard is far from the only minister to be lynched and that there are probably plenty of examples from Louisiana.

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