Lawmakers mark Black History Month by remembering the Moores Ford Bridge lynchings

During a Black History Month statement on Feb. 19, a member of the Georgia House recounted the Moores Ford Bridge lynchings of July 25, 1946, in which four Black Georgians—George and Mae Dorsey and Dorothy and Roger Malcolm—were dragged from a vehicle and murdered by a mob. The speaker described the attack, noted Dorothy Malcolm was believed to be pregnant, and said that despite investigations no one was convicted.

The speaker referenced the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s 1997 reopening and the General Assembly’s 2005 resolution expressing regret for the state’s history of lynching and racial violence. The statement described annual memorial events organized by the Moores Ford Movement and called on members to remember victims and recommit to equal justice under the law.

"Remembering Moores Ford today is not about assigning guilt or blame. It's about honoring the lives that were lost," the speaker said, and asked the chamber to observe a moment of silence.

The remarks were delivered as part of morning orders and were followed by a moment of silence in the chamber.