This is probably going to sound like something out of 1922: Two homes belonging to a Black family in North Carolina were set on fire by an arsonist in what the family reportedly believes were racially-motivated attacks.
The first house in Beulaville was reportedly set ablaze in January while family members were inside. The fire burned the home and several vehicles on the property. Then in May, another fire suspected to be arson destroyed the home of another family member in Jacksonville.
The elder mother of the family is a known community activist who has been lauded in her community for her work. The towns, however, have reportedly been known to harbor racial tensions, particularly after a settlement was reached in the favor of African Americans who sued a nearby farm over health concerns because of odors coming from the property.
The family reportedly said they have received little information from authorities on the investigation into the fire that burned the first home. This has prompted them to reach out to civil rights groups to get more cooperation from law enforcement.
The family reportedly said they plan to rebuild at least one of the homes on the same property.
More information about the arson attacks can be found here.
Opinion: It’s disconcerting to see in 2022 that Klan-like activity can go nearly unchecked by authorities. If the victims were White, would law enforcement take these crimes more seriously? This isn’t just a matter of property damage, family members could have been killed by these fires. It’s a shame people who serve their community for nothing other than their goodwill aren’t treated with more respect.