New Books Network Sonya Lea, "American Bloodlines: Reckoning with Lynch Culture" (UP of Kentucky, 2025)
Jan 9, 2026
Sonya Lea, a writer and mentor, explores her family's deep connections to the 1936 public execution of Rainey Bethea, which draws shocking insights into racial violence. She uncovers how her grandparents attended the brutal spectacle, challenging her own understanding of family and complicity. Lea delves into how silence surrounds racist histories and discusses the broader implications of lynch culture in modern society, from policing to systemic violence. Through her work, she promotes remembrance and accountability, offering a personal lens on historical injustices.
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The Owensboro Execution Became A Carnival
- Lea recounts the 1936 Owensboro execution of Rainey Bethea as a national spectacle with 20,000 white attendees and carnival-like sales.
- The event was promoted by local media and the promise of a female sheriff pulling the lever, amplifying public interest.
Family Discovery Sparks Investigation
- Sonya Lea discovered at her grandmother's funeral that her grandmother had attended the 1936 Owensboro public hanging of Rainey Bethea.
- That oral history propelled Lea into a decade-long investigation revealing multiple relatives' involvement in the event.
Family Silence Sustains White Origin Myths
- Lea argues families teach silence and selective memory to maintain belonging, which preserves racist origin stories.
- She links those transmitted family narratives to broader societal myths that erase Indigenous and Black presences.
