To be perfectly clear, the hanging of Ed Johnson of the Walnut Street Bridge at the first of the century and subsequent shooting of him while hanging is a horrific act. I am not condoning the act in any way. But, in my opinion, the Walnut Street Bridge should not be renamed after him. Or for that matter, anyone else.
My reasons:
1. The Walnut Street Bridge was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1990. This is a significant honor. The National Park Service, according to their website, has 93,530 “buildings, sites, structures, and objects” listed with 1111 added in 2017.
Still, I consider these treasures. History cannot be changed. Not matter how much one might want to. History happened. Changing the name of a structure deemed that important by the National Park Service is not a matter to consider lightly, if even to consider it at all. It most certainly should not be done just because of the current temperament. The bridge had been known by many names since its construction in 1890 and a quick search does not reveal when “Walnut Street Bridge” became the accepted name. But to us it is the Walnut Street Bridge. To the National park Service, it is the Walnut Street Bridge. I believe, it should always be the Walnut Street Bridge.
2. Ed Johnson was convicted of rape, and was sentenced to execution. Several levels of state and Federal courts refused to hear his appeal. The US Supreme Court had agreed to hear his appeal. His abduction from jail and hanging occurred the night the Supreme Court granted a stay of execution before they heard the case. His trial very likely could have been influenced by the racial tensions of the year, which I understand, were particularly tight. His abduction form the jail mostly likely was aided by the sheriff who he relaxed the courthouse guard contingent that night. Mr. Johnson was cleared of the conviction over 100 years later by our local Attorney General at the time. The reason given by one report is the lack of sufficient evidence. What standard did he use? Did he compare the quality of evidence to the standard of 1906, or the standard of 2006? Whether he actually committed the rape, I don’t know. But officially, he is innocent.
3. What about Alfred Blount? Also abducted from the Hamilton County jail by a lynch mob and hung on the Walnut Street Bridge, but 13 years before Mr. Johnson. He didn’t even get a trial. He was killed the night of his arrest. His arrest was for assault. Not rape or murder. Where is the outcry over his treatment? The report I read said he was beaten and stabbed before being hung. Also horrific. But never tried or convicted.
4. Many heinous and atrocious acts against their fellow man have been committed by humans over the years. These should be brought to light, talked about, learned from, be the impetus for changing laws when needed, and mostly, punished.
But not every act requires the establishment of a monument to the horror. Many people have died in the past in an unnecessary act of violence by others. Many have surely been innocent of any wrongdoing. If a statue were erected every time, the sidewalks would be too crowded to walk. If every time someone was killed by a drunk driver on the street and the road on which it happened were renamed for the victim, there would be no Main Streets in the country. A plaque is appropriate, let’s learn, let’s continue to bring light to the dark side of human behavior. But, if we do that, I must ask again, why not a plaque for Mr. Blount?
Philip Smith
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Mr. Smith,
What many Chattanoogans fail to understand is the importance of the Ed Johnson contempt case to American history. The legal legacy and lessons are bigger than the town it happened in, or the bridge it happened on, and that is why it's stayed top of mind for 112 years above the thousands of lynchings in our country during the 18th and 19th centuries. From a local perspective, it's easy to scan the details and not get a full picture of the national historical impact. Which is the reason why he's being memorialized and not Alfred Blount.
I believe both Mr. Johnson's and Mr. Blount's names are currently on a plaque on the bridge.
The book "Contempt of Court" can be found online for under $10. There are also many resources that are easily Googled about the case. Every Chattanoogan or transplant interested in Chattanooga history should read the book or learn a little bit about the case's history beyond copy and pasting from Wikipedia.
Personally, I do not feel the Old County (Walnut Street) Bridge needs to be dedicated to Johnson.
I am grateful to the organizers of the Ed Johnson Project in realizing a memorial that has been overdue.
David Moon