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About a week ago, in guiding my ninth-grade English students in an ethical discussion that would lead us into To Kill a Mockingbird, I proposed a scene in which white crowds gathered around to watch- enjoy, even- the lynching of an innocent black man. I was deeply unnerved by the jocularity of some who waved it off, gathering the defense that it was "what people did;" it wasn't evil. I dampened them a bit by expressing my disappointment (to put it lightly), but it was apparent that I could not impress upon them the terror of this history to any more an extent than had the dry recitals of their previous history lessons. What I had said may have rattled them more if I were not a young white woman, barely eight years older than the kids themselves. The stern and solemn depictions, in my voice, flattened into a shame-tripping nag. I could hear myself. I needed a stronger avenue. Now, a week later, I am armed with this. This is exactly what I had hoped for: it took a great deal out of me to stomach these images. The students may have understood the iniquity of lynchings with or without the photography. But understanding alone does not do the history justice for today's mentality; people really must realize its entirety to the furthest fathomable extent. That reality is captured within thousands of faces, and among all of them is absolutely no room for humor left. Thank you for this. I can think of no greater honor for these victims than the reverent silence of a newly indignant youth. Though it hurts to let these burn into the memory, it's the most necessary dose of our history that I believe a student can walk away with. I plan to use it well- if anyone has advice for this first-year teacher on how to best enact this material, please leave your suggestions as comments. They would be highly appreciated.