The 1935 Brooksville Klan Murders

By Joe Marzo

A Forgotten Chapter of Florida’s Racial Terror

In the humid summer of 1935, the quiet streets of Brooksville, Florida—then a small, pine-shaded town in Hernando County—became the stage for one of the most chilling and forgotten acts of racial terror in the state’s history. Behind the veil of night and the anonymity of hoods, members of the Ku Klux Klan carried out a double murder that would shock those who knew, terrify the Black community, and ultimately be buried beneath decades of silence and fear.

This is the story of the Brooksville Klan Murders of 1935—a case involving the kidnapping and murder of two Black men, allegedly for standing up to local white supremacy. The events reflected the racial tensions of the time, the complicity of local power structures, and the impunity with which hate groups operated in Florida during the Jim Crow era.

The Victims

The two men at the center of this tragedy were Jesse James Payne and Edward Donaldson, Black residents of Brooksville with reputations for being outspoken—something that was considered dangerous for African Americans in 1930s Florida. While accounts vary and official records are sparse, it is widely believed that both men had run-ins with influential white men in town and refused to back down in disputes, a form of defiance that drew the ire of local Klansmen.

On a muggy July night, both men were abducted from their homes by a group of white men—some reportedly wearing the robes and regalia of the Ku Klux Klan. Their families reported them missing, but law enforcement made only a token effort to investigate. Days later, their mutilated bodies were found in a wooded area outside town, bound, shot, and burned—clearly the victims of a lynching meant to send a message.

Brooksville: A Climate of Fear

At the time, Brooksville was a deeply segregated Southern town. Though relatively small, the town was a microcosm of racial division, where African Americans labored in citrus groves, lumber camps, and domestic roles—often under the thumb of white landowners and law enforcement. The Ku Klux Klan had an active presence in the area, and their activities often overlapped with local politics, policing, and business interests.

Many townspeople—especially African Americans—suspected who was responsible for the murders, but speaking out was a deadly risk. Those who might have known more remained silent. Some whispered that the local sheriff knew who was involved. Others pointed fingers at powerful men tied to the Klan and local government.

What made the Brooksville murders particularly chilling was that the violence was not spontaneous but organized. This was not the result of a sudden mob rage—it was calculated, deliberate, and executed with full confidence that there would be no consequences.

The Cover-Up and Lack of Justice

Despite the brutality of the killings and the clear evidence of a hate crime, no one was ever arrested. The coroner’s report was vague. The sheriff’s department quietly closed the case, citing lack of evidence. The local newspaper gave the story only a cursory mention—if it mentioned it at all.

In the decades that followed, the Brooksville Klan murders were erased from the public memory. Local officials avoided any mention of the case, and generations grew up without ever learning what happened in their own town. The silence was loud—and intentional.

Unearthing the Truth

In recent years, as Florida historians and activists have begun reevaluating the state’s legacy of racial violence, the Brooksville Klan murders have resurfaced as an example of how deeply the Ku Klux Klan was embedded in Florida’s civic life—and how thoroughly these crimes were concealed.

Organizations like the Equal Justice Initiative and local historical societies have pushed for deeper investigations into Florida’s history of lynching, and Brooksville is often cited as a town with unexamined trauma. A small but growing group of descendants, scholars, and community members are now working to bring these events to light, seeking formal recognition of the crime and memorials for the victims.

Why It Still Matters

The Brooksville Klan Murders of 1935 are not just a chilling episode from the past—they are a window into the systemic racism that shaped Florida and much of the South. The fact that no one was ever held accountable speaks to the deep complicity between hate groups and the institutions that were supposed to deliver justice.

Remembering Payne and Donaldson is not only an act of historical recovery—it is a step toward truth and reconciliation. Their lives mattered. Their deaths were not random. And their story deserves to be told.

Sources

• Florida Memory Project (State Archives of Florida)

• Equal Justice Initiative: Lynching in America

• Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King

• Tampa Bay Times archives

• Hernando County Historical Society