The practice of lynching African-Americans during the early history of the United States has had lasting effects on society today, author Philip Dray said yesterday in the third of the African-American Studies Center’s spring lecture series.

Dray was invited to speak by the BU African-American Studies Program in an effort to provide further learning for students and to bring the subject of lynching out of the shadows of a world of taboo and into the mainstream consciousness.

Lynching was not an abnormality during America’s development, and thus was influential in making the country what it is today, Dray said. Lynchings had a casual presence in society in the past, he added.

‘It is valuable to acknowledge that lynching is anything but an aberration or sidebar to American history,’ he said. ‘From colonial times when lynch laws first appeared, it has effected our political and legal development, cultural history and demographics.’

Dray said this history is one that is ‘dark and large, one that still resonates today.’ Particularly in the current trend of violence, the impact made by these executions is echoing in America’s top news stories, he said.

‘It is heard today in arguments about the treatment of terrorist subjects, capital punishment, gun control, and innovations like Megan’s Law and the ability of the victim’s family to influence sentencing,’ said Dray.

He also related the reality of lynching to many situations that occur in everyday American life.

‘The tendency of authorities to treat minority suspects summarily, bias in patterns of conviction and sentencing, the media’s demonization of young black men and the perception of black criminality as seen in instances of racial profiling are all faint messages that are hard not to see today,’ he said.

Like many other parts of African-American history, this particular time was one that was ‘not only unjust but will have lasting devastating consequences to society,’ Dray said.

Dray also summarized his book, At the Hands of Persons Unknown: the Lynching of Black America, during the 40-minute speech, followed by a question and answer session and book signing.

Of the approximately 35 people in attendance, the majority agreed and commented on the significance of lynching.