Final Remarks
In conclusion, from the research, I found that Joseph McCoy did not have a trial for his supposed crime, and I also found that to this day, there is an annual remembrance project that validates and narrates the life of McCoy and his lynching. Although I brought out the truth behind the case to the best of my abilities within the stipulated period, there were a few challenges in finding answers to additional questions I had. Some of those questions include:
- If there was a trial, would the lynching not happen if McCoy was found not guilty? Or would there still be bias and the event would still happen?
- There may be several geographical entities in Alexandria that connect to the 19th century but how many know their significance? How many simply walk past without knowing their background history?
- If McCoy did commit the crime, was the lynching done purely based on white supremacy? Or was it done solely because the police and investigators found specific evidential material that linked him to the crime?
I hope this could possibly lead future researchers to explore more into the case of Joseph McCoy and provide their best interpretation on it. Moreover, it would be more insightful if they would be able to recover archived documents that were present during the time. I believe learning about the experiences that took place on the soil we step on today is important to empathize with the past and create a future made up of equality, peace, and justice. I hope this historical account enlightens the common crowd about the history of the Alexandria while also emphasizing the harsh racial realities of the Blacks during and post-Civil War using Joseph McCoy as the central subject of my research.
By: Poojita Kondur