Old Sussex County Court House Whipping Post
Item
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Title
Old Sussex County Court House Whipping Post
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Rationale
Public punishment disproportionally affected African Americans.
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Description
This whipping post was originally installed at the Sussex Correctional Institution before being moved to be displayed at a public plaza outside of the Old Sussex County Court House. It was the last known whipping post to be on display in the state of Delaware. It was removed in the summer of 2020 after being recognized for its gruesome use that disproportionately affected people of color. Two-thirds of those punished at this post were Black, and their punishment would be advertised as a type of tourist attraction. The post was taken to the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs collections facility in Dover where it will be conserved with other Delaware historical objects.
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Rights
The copyright and related rights status of this item has not been evaluated. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available (noted above in Publisher and Identifier) for more information.
