Cold cases
Below are capsule summaries of cases that have been authorized for release by the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board. Clicking on a case will bring you to a more extensive synopsis of that incident, as well as to a link that will take you to the National Archives’ Civil Rights Cold Case Records Portal, where the case file may be viewed.
The Board takes into account many factors in determining which cases it wants to examine for potential release. Given its statutory time constraints, the Board is focused on prioritizing cases that are representative of the diverse nature of civil rights cold cases. Currently, the Board is required to terminate its work no later than January, 2027.
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Wilmer Smith was a 39-year-old native of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. He lived in Detroit, Michigan and worked for the Dodge Factory.
Jesse Thornton, a farmer in his late 20s or early 30s, lived in Luverne, Alabama with his wife, Nellie, and nephew, Bennie.
A.C. Williams was a 20-year-old man who lived in Quincy, Florida with his mother, Hattie Williams. He was born in Waycross, Georgia and was the oldest son of Frank and Hattie Williams.
Bob White was a 28-year-old farmworker and scrap iron yard laborer from Livingston, Texas. He was married to Ruby Lee Keeland White, whom he met while living in Houston, Texas.
Willie Vinson, 31, was born in Jefferson, Texas. He lived in Texarkana, Texas for about five months and worked as a dish washer at a cafe.
Clarence Thompson was a 36-year-old Works Progress Administration laborer. He lived with his sister, Lillian Bailey, in New Orleans, Louisiana.