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Sonny Man Thurman

Case from Kosciusko, MS dated Jan 08, 1950

Victim Details

Sonny Man Thurman

Male

Kosciusko

MS

1950-01-08

12

Sonny

Man Thurman

07/01/2026

Case Description

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In 1950, in Kosciusko, Mississippi, a tragic event unfolded that resulted in the death of 13-year-old Sonny Man Thurman, a Negro male. The incident occurred when three white men, identified as Leon Turner, Malcolm Whitt, and Melvin Whitt, opened fire on the home of Thomas Harris, a Negro sharecropper.

The shooting claimed the lives of not only Sonny Man Thurman, but also Mary McAfee and 4-year-old Nell Harris. The alleged motive for this violent act appears to be connected to an earlier i ...
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Links to Additional Sources (4)

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  • Mar 15, 1950, page 3 - The Commercial Appeal at Newspapers.com - Newspapers.com
  • Frankie C. Thurman (1937-1950) - Find a Grave...
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    Forum Posts (3)

    I wanted to share something that caught my attention about the Kosciusko tragedy. It was the role of... ...Read More
    08/14/2024
    I’ve been deeply affected reading about the tragic events that unfolded in Kosciusko back in 1950.... ...Read More
    07/23/2024
    I recently came across a photograph taken by Billy McMillan that won the 1950 Best Journalistic Phot... ...Read More
    11/03/2023
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