A Mississippi woman’s fight for recognition is long overdue, 122 years after she was maimed and left unprotected by the community she lived in. In an effort to honor her memory, a family member has been researching their shared ancestry.
The family discovered that one of their ancestors, Hannah Kelly Hilson, was married to Eli Hilson Jr., and had 11 children. However, her life was cut short when Whitecaps, a violent group targeting Black farmers, attacked the family’s home in November 1903. Eli was lynched just hours after giving birth to his 12th child, leaving Hannah alone to care for their remaining children.
The lack of documentation about Hannah’s life and death has made it difficult to uncover her story. Despite numerous records on other ancestors, her name is rarely mentioned. This obscurity surrounding her life remains deeply unsettling.
To honor Hannah’s memory, the author has been traveling along the paths of their shared history, visiting gravesites and memorials. She has found peace in learning that some justice was served for her husband’s lynching, but she feels a void in not being able to acknowledge Hannah’s humanity in any way.
A call to action is made to “Say Her Name” as often as possible, using hashtags #HannahKellyHilson and #SayHerName. The author hopes that by sharing her ancestor’s story, others can be inspired to do the same for those who have been forgotten or marginalized.
Source: https://www.mississippifreepress.org/opinion-unearthing-the-story-of-a-young-dispossessed-wife-and-mother-hannah-kelly-hilson