Laura Nelson along with her 14 year old son were lynched after her son had been accused of fatally shooting a Deputy in Okemah, Oklahoma, in May of 1925. Her husband wouldn’t be lynched, as he was arrested, charged, and sent to a state prison. Laura Nelson, their infant, and their son awaited in the county jail for their trial. But white rage couldn’t wait, as it is reported that a group of around 40 white men went to the jail and kidnapped Laura Nelson along with her son. The mob allegedly ended up assaulting both Laura Nelson and her son, before they lynched them over a bridge. After the lynching many came to view the bodies as a pastime.

Through my art, I am reclaiming this moment in history as “The Strangest Fruit of Protection,” as Laura Nelson ceased to exist trying to protect her children and herself from white rage.