The history of the United States is replete with bloody encounters, gruesome conflicts, and tragic deaths. But these moments of brutality—whether an attack on a controversial religious figure, a massacre during times of war, or the murder of a citizen demanding access to his rights—are often just the beginning of the story. With death and violence at the hands of another comes grief, but also memory, commemoration, and martyrization. Stories are told about fallen heroes; speeches are delivered extolling the virtues of those who fought and died for their cause; histories are written to celebrate, understand, and conceal the most heart wrenching moments in the country's past. This panel is dedicated to understanding that process. How have Americans talked about, grappled with, and used examples of targeted violence in their national history to advance their own ends?

Each of the panelists takes a violent moment (or two) from a different century in American history and follows its evolution over time. Peter William Walker uses newspaper accounts from 1776, 1781, and 1840 to tell the story of Connecticut clergyman John Beach, a Loyalist who was attacked by American patriots during the Revolutionary War for refusing to exclude the customary prayers for King George III. Kris Plunkett explores the evolving memory of the Fort Pillow Massacre in which Confederate major general Nathan Bedford Forrest executed Black Union soldiers instead of making them prisoners of war. In doing so, she identifies the massacre as a litmus test to gauge which narrative about the Civil War Americans subscribe to. Zachary Clary explores how proponents of the Black freedom struggle used the shooting of James Meredith and the murder of William Moore—both of whom were attacked during solo marches against segregation from Tennessee to Mississippi—to rally support to their cause.

Given the scope of this panel in terms of chronology and theme, it would be of interest to scholars of American history, African American history, and religious history. It also speaks to key questions in the history of violence and memory studies.